Progressive Students’ Forum writes to TISS chancellor to lift ban

Mumbai: In their first statement since the Progressive Students’ Forum (PSF), a students’ initiative on campus, was banned on August 19 by Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), the student outfit has written to professor DP Singh, chancellor of TISS, urging his urgent intervention in revoking the ban and addressing the mismanagement at the institute.
The TISS administration issued an office order banning PSF and calling its presence on campus unauthorised and illegal, following which other student outfits on the campus stood in solidarity with PSF and demanded that the ban be lifted.
On Friday, PSF wrote a letter to Singh stating that this sudden declaration of PSF as “unauthorised” or “illegal” is shocking, to say the least. “It is even more shocking that the office order has employed strong words instilling fear and threatening disciplinary action on students and faculty for associating, etc. with PSF and encouraging them to report being approached by PSF members.”
The 10-page letter further states, “The anti-student actions of the current TISS administration have also engulfed the democratically elected bodies to represent students. Right after Ramadas’s suspension, the Students’ Union of the TISS Mumbai campus was abruptly suspended. Similarly, immediately after the mass termination of faculty and staff, the Student Councils in all other TISS campuses were also disbanded. A surprising move, as the outgoing Student’s Union continues to hold office each year until fresh elections are called. Unfortunately, there is no Student’s Union in office now, and no election committee is even formed for the next election.”
The letter pointed out various issues including stoppage of student-led events and programmes on campus, the suspension of Ramadas Pirani a member of PSF, and mass termination of teachers and staff.
The letter further reads, “It must be noted that the ‘ban’ on PSF came 10 minutes before the second phase of a signature campaign was about to start on campus by PSF. The signature campaign was a complaint to the TISS Chancellor against the working of the TISS administration and its actions.”
The campaign demanded a permanent solution to the faculty crisis faced by the institute, the immediate release of event guidelines and the immediate revocation of the suspension of Ramadas. After collecting nearly 300 signatures from students in the first phase, the second phase was about to start among the newly admitted first-year PG batch.
In the letter, PSF strongly condemned the order calling for a ban of the organisation. “We request you to intervene and take back this unlawful action by the administration and also call upon the students, faculty members, and staff across all TISS campuses to resist such an attack on campus democracy,” stated the letter
PSF is a student organisation functioning in TISS since 2012 with the sole interest of students’ welfare. At present, we are an organisation of around 150 students from second-year master’s and research scholars alone.
The TISS Teachers Association (TISSTA) on Friday also took cognisance of the TISS administration’s ban of PSF, stating it is deeply dismayed that the administration is in violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. Their letter sent to TISS registrar reads, “The UGC emphasises the importance of creating a liberal environment within educational institutions where diverse viewpoints can be expressed and discussed.” TISSTA has urged the administration to reconsider their order. The letter ended saying, “There are different student bodies in TISS, which is a strength, and the management must seek ways to constructively engage with them.”