Guwahati campus hit hard: TISS lays off 55 faculty members, 60 non-teaching staff in 4 campuses due to funding uncertainty

Guwahati: The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has reportedly dismissed 55 faculty members and nearly 60 non-teaching staff members across its four campuses in a surprising move, Indian Express reported. The Guwahati campus suffered the most, losing all non-teaching staff and half its teaching staff.

A total of 20 teaching staff members were dismissed from the Mumbai campus, 15 from Hyderabad, 14 from Guwahati, and 6 from Tuljapur, the news website reported.

The dismissed staff, many with over a decade at TISS, were all on contracts funded by the Tata Education Trust. TISS cited a lack of renewed grants from the Trust as the reason for the dismissals.

Some faculty members linked the dismissals to changes in University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations. Last year, TISS, along with other deemed universities receiving significant central government funding, came under the government's purview for appointments. TISS administration, however, denied any connection.

A dismissed faculty member from TISS Guwahati, with 11 years of service, expressed disappointment at the lack of proper notice (just two days) and the disregard for their contractual obligations (a month's notice period). They highlighted the faculty's continued work on admissions and program revisions despite contract uncertainties.

Faculty members expressed concerns about TISS' ability to run courses effectively after such a large-scale dismissal without a clear alternative plan.

TISS administration claimed they had pursued renewed funding from the Tata Trust for months, including submitting a proposal. They formed a committee to address the issue and expressed a willingness to rehire faculty on an hourly basis if funding is secured. As a long-term solution, they plan to advertise permanent positions.

A senior TISS official revealed that the dismissed staff were funded by the Tata Trust, and the government takeover might have complicated matters, with both entities potentially distancing themselves from the situation.

Another official lamented the loss of highly qualified faculty, many of whom rejected lucrative offers elsewhere due to their commitment to TISS' social science approach. They viewed the dismissals as a negative consequence of a push for uniformity in the education system.

The TISS Teachers Association met urgently to discuss the situation.

The future of TISS campuses, particularly Guwahati, remains uncertain as the institute grapples with funding issues and the sudden loss of experienced staff.