TISS students call for financial autonomy

The Student Action Committee of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Hyderabad, on Tuesday drafted a 'Charter of Demands' for the authorities of the institute, calling for financial autonomy, better infrastructure and accountability on part of the authorities among other demands.

Students began protest after the scholarships for students from marginalised communities were revoked, without informing the said students, requiring them to clear dues which otherwise would have been pardoned.

In the light of this issue, the students demanded an independent authority to be set up in the campus that will be accountable for all the scholarship matters of students of TISS Hyderabad.

Lack of infrastructural facilities was also emphasised upon by the charter.

"The administration, for considerable time now, has made repeated assurances regarding the status of a unified campus to the students of Hyderabad. These assurances have clearly not been backed by appropriate action, nor has there been any progress made towards realising this outcome," said the charter.

Security of students, in all hostels, as well as the college premises, has also been found wanting, and they claim to have recorded several cases of sexual harassment and theft.

From February 21, students from all four TISS campuses in Mumbai, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Tuljapur, started protests against the authorities. Students blocked the gates, boycotted classes, and refused to let faculty members through the gates.