Marginalized TISS students protest over suspension of fee waiver

Guwahati, January 19, 2019:

The students of Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) under the aegis of Government of India- Post Metric Scholarship (GoI-PMS) Student’s Association have staged a protest against the college authorities to remove the fee waiver for the Government of India.

Speaking to InsideNE, Rahul Baishnav, a representative of the Students’ body of the TISS said, “Earlier we needed to pay Rs 4,500 as admission fees and Rs 500 as semester fees. But now the authority has asked us to pay Rs 35,000 as fees and even surrender our scholarship including our student aid. We sat with the admin of the institute at first, but they were forcing us to apply for the students’ aid which we denied as it will be generalised among all. The authorities have alleged that the TISS is operating with deficit of Rs 20 crore only because the GoI-PMS scheme. Moreover, in this institute, 66% of seats are reserved for North- Eastern students.”

“Few days before the semester examinations, the authorities forced the students to pay a sum of Rs 23,000 which they denied.” added Baishnav.

[caption id="attachment_21670" align="alignnone" width="660"] Demands of the students.[/caption]

The protest lasted for 3 months which has been restarted after 10 months break on January 17. The reason for their withdrawal of the protest was due to a notification issued from the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) asking them to discontinue their agitation such that a committee can be formed consisting member of the Union Grant Commission (UGC) faculties from TISS and the students from different campuses. The meeting was held and assurances were given to support these students from marginalised background by the administration.

[caption id="attachment_21671" align="alignnone" width="660"] Students holding dharna at the campus.[/caption]

A group of students have been actively communicating with administration demanding that they follow up to their assurance and relieve the students from their burden of insecurity about their educational career.

The students have decided to continue with the protest as the new session starts demanding that the administration no longer sideline the issue and let the students study without any fear and insecurity by immediately implementing National Commission for Schedule Tribe (NCST) recommendation (dated 25/07/2018) to waive of Hostel and Dining hall fees for GoI-PMS students. The GoI PMS Students’ Association sternly states that the protest is indefinite and will be intensified with time adding it will not be called off until the administration provides all students from the GoI PMS category with the full fee waiver.