Day 2 of annual convocation: TISS students wear badges in protest

The students were protesting against the institute’s new notification asking SC/ST and OBC (non-creamy) students to make an upfront payment of a part of the fees at the time of admission.

By ALEYA DUTTA CHOUDHURY

A DAY after two graduating students of TISS refused to accept their degrees during the 78th annual convocation, the second day of the event saw several students sporting badges in protest. The students were protesting against the institute’s new notification asking SC/ST and OBC (non-creamy) students to make an upfront payment of a part of the fees at the time of admission.

In his appeal to the TISS governing board, students’ union general secretary Fahad Ahmad, who refused to accept his degree, said: “You may talk of social justice and community engagement, but here you are denying education to students who have always dreamed of it, only because they can’t afford it.”

Another student, Gheshna Nagendran, unfurled a poster on the stage while collecting her degree in clinical psychology. “Why ignore SC/ ST students, they are also part of the institute. I tried to appeal to the chief guest, but he ignored me,” she said.

S Ramadorai, chairperson of the TISS governing board, said: “TISS is committed to the cause of social justice and equal opportunity.” He maintained that the institute was doing its best with the limited resources at its disposal.