Will Mumbai TISS meet the same fate?

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Three days after the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Hyderabad, shut down its academic activities following protests by students against the sudden increase in hostel fees, students at the Mumbai campus have started signature campaigns and meetings to show solidarity with their Hyderabad counterparts. But what worries them more at the moment is the chance of similar issues surfacing at the Mumbai campus.

The Hyderabad students have filed a writ petition in the Telangana High Court, challenging the administration's action of abruptly shutting down in the middle of the academic year.

Arvind Kartik, a student from Hyderabad, said, "The decision to shut down academic activities was uncalled for. Students have been protesting for a valid reason. There has been no violence that the authorities were forced to take such action. Instead, the administration should have had a dialogue with the students. One of the students is continuing his hunger strike at the hostel. His health is deteriorating but no one from the administration has reached out to him."

A former student union member of the Mumbai campus, told mid-day, "The tension at the Mumbai campus is palpable. Students want to now what will happen in future, especially because there is inadequate accommodation here as well. What if a similar situation occurs here too?" Students' bodies at the Mumbai campus plan to meet the administration in a couple of days to get clarity.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official from the Mumbai campus said, "The notice was issued to ensure the situation does not deteriorate further. We will review the situation to decide on when the academic activities can resume."

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