TISS Students’ Protest: HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar Reluctant to Intervene
- TISS Students’ Union has been protesting for the past 45 days against administration’s policy of demanding fees from scholarship students.
- The recent talks with the administration have also been failed.
The Students’ Union of TISS has been disappointed after HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar declined to intervene in the ongoing students’ protest. A delegation had recently met the HRD Minister and requested him to support students in their protest against the management.
Recently, the authorities of TISS cancelled fee waiver for SC/ ST and OBC students, who are eligible for the Post-Matric scholarship. Enraged with the move, the students’ union has been protesting over the past 45 days. However, the administration is not likely to rollback its decision. The authorities of TISS were of the opinion that fee waiver for SC/ ST/ OBC categories is affecting the financial sustainability of the institute.
Also Read: TISS Students’ Protest: Placements Likely to be Affected This Year
A member of TISS Students’ Union revealed that the HRD Minister was reluctant to intervene in the issue and replied that the money has already been allocated to the institute. If the HRD Ministry is not interested to intervene in the issue, whom could students approach? He questioned.
In March 2017, the HRD Ministry directed TISS to constitute a committee and submit a report on strike/ students’ protest.
Also Read: Autonomy to Educational Institute will Not Give Scope for Privatisation: Javadekar
General Secretary of TISS Students’ Union, Fahad Ahmed filed a complaint on the issue to National Commission for Scheduled Tribe. Taking the complaint into consideration, the national-level has called for a hearing on April 12, 2018. Director of TISS and Secretary of Ministry of Tribal Affairs have been summoned to appear for the hearing. The students union’ also demanded timely disbursal of scholarships.