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Education News

major contradictions. On the one in-Aid Institute’ by the Min-
hand, it mandates establishment of istry of Education). Last June
a plethora of committees to monitor after TISS’ long-tenured di-
and regulate school and higher edu- rector Prof. S. Parsuraman
cation. On the other it recommends retired, UGC (University
conferment of autonomy on educa- Grants Commission) — the
tion institutions. The newly consti- country’s apex-level higher
tuted EdAC would be well-advised to education regulator — ap-
truly revamp and rejuvenate CABE pointed several government
and also press the autonomy-for- officials to the TISS board,
institutions pedal. Education is best tightening Central control
left to educationists. over the institute. This pro-
Autar Nehru (Delhi) voked the Tatas’ loss of in-
terest in TISS and a backlash
MAHARASHTRA TISS Mumbai campus: major embarassment against continuing to fund its
operations.
Reputation loss were appointed under various proj- Given the good record of the Tatas
ects under funding of the Tata Trust. in funding education institutions, ac-
he highly reputed multi-campus The funding for these projects have ademics are uncritical of them. Com-
Tata Institute of Social Scienc- stopped for the last few months. Con- ments Dr. Kurush Dalal, director
Tes (TISS, estb.1936) — India’s sidering this, we allowed these teach- at Instucen School of Archeology,
first major postgrad institution for ers to work under clock-hour basis in Mumbai. “If government wants con-
the study of social sciences including the institute. But now we are unable trol of TISS, it should pick up the bill.
habitat education, gender, media, la- to garner financial aid, so we decided But that they will not do. Government
bour and management, rural develop- to stop (sic) their services. We will re- wants to disinvest in education, not in-
ment studies — has suffered a severe appoint them once funding from the vest in it.” Likewise Dr. Kranti Far-
embarassment. (Tata) Trust resumes.” ias, a retired academic, says the Union
On June 28, the management of the Meanwhile the abrupt termination ministry of education should fund its
institute fired 115 teaching and non- of such a large number of TISS faculty own institutions instead of relying on
teaching staff of the TISS Advanced and staff has brought the low-profile a private trust.
Centre for Women’s Studies (ACWS) TISS — ranked among India’s Top Meanwhile with the intervention of
employed in its Mumbai, Tuljapur, 100 universities under the Central Ratan Tata, the matter of autonomy of
Hyderabad, and Guwahati campuses. government’s National Institutional the institute has been brushed under
These TISS-ACWS employees were Rankings Framework 2023 — in the the carpet. But unless the basic con-
informed that their employment con- national limelight and aroused in- tradiction of NEP 2020 — it simulta-
tracts would not be renewed. dignation in India and abroad. Over neously imposes greater government
The reason advanced for this mass 1,200 academics signed a joint peti- control over higher education institu-
firing was that on June 30, the Tata tion dated July 9 calling upon the TISS tions and recommends greater auton-
Education Trust — one of several management to reinstate the sacked omy — is resolved, similar strains and
charitable trusts of the multi-billion employees. stress are likely to persist.
dollar Tata Group of salt to software “The faculty, students and alumni Ronita Torcato (Mumbai)
companies (annual revenue: Rs.13.8 of ACWS have contributed signifi-
lakh crore) — had ceased to pay to- cantly to advancing critical scholar- UTTAR PRADESH
ward their salaries and remuneration. ship in women’s studies. The ongoing
However the 115 TISS-ACWS uncertainty regarding job security, Ph Teacher power
employees have been granted a last D supervision and course instruction
minute reprieve. On July 30, Ratan undermines their collective efforts,” july 8 order issued by uttar
Tata, the chairman of Tata Trusts, reads the statement. Pradesh’s BJP government
announced that TET will resume pay- The back story behind this contre- A which directed government
ment of the dismissed TISS employ- temps is that for several years, the BJP school teachers to mark their at-
ees’ salaries and restore the status quo government at the Centre has been tendance digitally — proclaimed as
ante. packing boards of centrally-funded a first countrywide — was rescinded
Explained Prof. Manoj Tiwari, higher education institutions with on July 16 after statewide protests by
Director of TISS, in an interview with ideologically aligned nominees, in- the teachers community.
the business daily Mint: “These staff cluding at TISS (described as ‘Grant- Political commentators in Luc-

24 EDUCATIONWORLD AUGUST 2024