Dear students,

08.09.2022

TISS is a learning community offering space for all people to co-build an inclusive space for students, staff, faculty and all its stakeholders. Together we aim to ensure that the academic activities go unhindered and achieve excellence in areas of research and field action keeping the interest of all students who are the main stakeholders for us.

It has been observed that some group(s) are attempting to create unfavourable situations in the campus, create unrest and instigate students to violate institutional norms. It is also observed that they claim to be representing all students wrongly under the name of General Body of TISS students. General Body is a collective of all students which can only be legitimately represented by an elected body. Hence the representation of some groups as claiming to be representing the Student Body and indiscriminate use of the term General Body is intrinsically against any form of democratic principles and a clear subversion of the very idea of student community as a whole and its autonomy. Such a narrative can only be seen as an attempt to impose certain views and opinions on students and thereby illegitimately claim a representational status. Further, such narratives and negative representation in social media and other means of communication are disruptive in nature and are neither in the interest of student community nor that of the institute. While institute will engage in meaningful and constructive dialogue with its students as is the practice, it will do so with an elected body and it will not be responding to any groups illegitimately claiming to enjoy the representative status.

Institute has already initiated the process of election of Students’ Union and any attempt to sabotage the democratic process through activities claiming to be on behalf of the General Body prior to this is to be seen as undemocratic and violative of all forms of collective functioning. As indicated in our earlier communication, all matters related to student community will be channelled through democratically elected Students’ Union and facilitated by Office of Students Affairs. Till then the office of students’ affairs will address concerns of students directly.

All students are hereby informed that we are collectively bringing the academic environment and pedagogic rigour in our programmes after a two year gap due to the pandemic which has affected all of us. With great difficulty we have brought our academic calendar back to the pre-pandemic times and we are also trying to get the placement processes on track. It is beyond doubt that a favourable environment in the campus and a good image of the institute and its students are necessary condition for rolling out all these activities in the best interest of all students. In this context, the narrative being spread in social media is going to harm the interest of the students.

All students are hereby directed to follow the norms and comply with the honour code signed at the time of admission. Any attempt to disrupt the functioning of the Institute which in any way negatively affect the prospects of students in learning as well as placements will be strictly dealt with.

s/d
Dean Students’ Affairs