TISS fee row: NCSC asks institute not to take action against protesting students

On May 12, the institute had issued notices to 23 students for continuing to protest and for engaging in what it said were acts of indiscipline, “even after repeated appeals by the institute authorities”. (File Photo)

FIVE DAYS after the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, issued showcause notices to 23 students protesting on campus and threatened them, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has asked the institute not to take any action against students. The commission, which is hearing a suo motu case on the implementation of Government of India Post-Matric Scholarship (GoI PMS) at TISS, recommended the TISS administration to not take any action against students who have been protesting on campus since February.

“During the hearing Thursday, the commission was informed that 23 students were issued showcause notices by the administration for protesting on campus. However, students have claimed that the protests were peaceful. Hence, the commission has taken a position that no action should be taken against the students until the case is disposed of,” Ajit Kumar Sahu, deputy secretary, NCSC, told The Indian Express.

“The students have taken up a larger cause — justice for the reserved category students. The commission has held that the student agitation was peaceful and there is nothing illegal,” said Sahu. On May 12, the institute had issued notices to 23 students for continuing to protest and for engaging in what it said were acts of indiscipline, “even after repeated appeals by the institute authorities”. It had asked the students to submit an explanation by May 25 or face action.

A section of students has been protesting against the institute since February over improper implementation of the GoI PMS scheme after the institute decided to withdraw aid to SC/ST students and asked them to pay the fees upfront. While the institute has agreed to waive the fees for existing students, it asked SC/ST students of the 2018-2020 batch to pay Rs 12,500. It also asked OBC non-creamy layer students to pay Rs 30,700 at the time of admission.

“For now we have not received any official communication from the commission regarding this matter,” a TISS official said.