Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)

TISS

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Context:

Over a 100 staff members of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) received termination letters on June 28, and were asked to not report to work come July.
Within days of the termination notices being issued, TISS reversed its decision and withdrew the termination letters. The sudden withdrawal of termination letters suggests a reactive approach by TISS management.

Reasons for mismanagement:

Funding issues:

These staff members were largely supported by funds from the Tata Education Trust (TET), which covers salaries for certain positions not funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The termination letters were issued due to uncertainty surrounding the renewal of funding for these contractual positions.

Leadership crisis:

TISS has faced leadership challenges since the tenure of its longest-serving director, Prof. S. Parsuraman, who led the institute from 2004 to 2018. After his tenure, subsequent directors have seen periods of instability and changes in administrative policies.

Mismatched qualification:

The current acting director and Vice Chancellor, who comes from an engineering and management background, has faced criticism for his interim leadership of a social science research institute, which some stakeholders view as mismatched.

UGC regulation changes:

Changes in UGC regulations in 2023 brought appointments at TISS under greater central government purview, as more than 50% of its funding comes from the Centre.
This regulatory change dissolved the governing board and replaced it with an Executive Council. However, the new council has yet to become fully operational, leading to centralised decision-making and administrative bottlenecks.

Academic Delays and Student Impact:

The delay in forming and activating the new Executive Council has had ripple effects on other bodies like the Academic Council, which approves results and oversees academic activities.
As a result, the approval of results for major programs, including Masters, PhDs, and Diplomas, has been delayed by several months. This delay has directly impacted students awaiting their degrees and certifications, affecting their future career and educational plans.

Conclusion:

The ongoing challenges underscore the need for stable leadership, transparent communication, and proactive management to safeguard the institution's academic reputation and student welfare.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)

●It is a multi-campus public university in Mumbai, India.

●It is Asia's oldest institute for professional social work education and was founded in 1936 in the then Bombay Presidency of British India as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work by the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.

●In 1944, the institute was officially renamed the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and in 1964, the Government of India declared TISS a deemed university under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956.

●In 1954, TISS moved to a permanent campus at Deonar, Mumbai (now known as the Main Campus).

●The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranked Tata Institute of Social Sciences in the 151–200 band overall in India in 2023and 98 among universities.

●TISS's academic programs focus on the social sciences and offer post-graduate and doctoral degrees in Habitat Studies, Management and Labour Studies, Disaster Studies, Development Studies, Education, Gender Studies, Health Studies, Law, Media and Cultural Studies, Public Policy, Rural Development and Social Work.

Read about UGC regulations here:

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/ugc-recognition-and-grant-of-equivalence-to-qualifications-obtained-from-foreign-educational-institu

Source

https://epaper.thehindu.com/ccidist-ws/th/th_international/issues/89493/OPS/GEAD10CLT.1.png?cropFromPage=true

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q) Consider the following statements about “Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)”

TISS was initially established as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work in 1936.
The institute received its current name, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, in 1944.
TISS offers academic programs exclusively in the fields of Social Work and Education.
TISS was formally recognized as a deemed university by the University Grants Commission Act in 1964.

How many of the above statements is/are incorrect:

A.Only one

B. Only Two

C. Only Three

D. All Four

Correct answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct:

●Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) was indeed founded in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work, making it Asia's oldest institute for professional social work education.

Statement 2 is correct:

●The institute was officially renamed Tata Institute of Social Sciences in 1944 from its previous name, the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work.

Statement 3 is incorrect:

●TISS offers a diverse range of academic programs across various disciplines such as Habitat Studies, Management and Labour Studies, Disaster Studies, Development Studies, Gender Studies, Health Studies, Law, Media and Cultural Studies, Public Policy, Rural Development, and Social Work. Therefore, it is not exclusive to just Social Work and Education.

Statement 4 is correct:

●In 1964, the Government of India declared Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) a deemed university under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956, thereby granting it autonomy in academic matters.