Ratan Tata Steps In To Save 115 TISS Jobs Amid Termination Crisis

The employees who were previously terminated had been engaged in roles funded explicitly by the Trust for various projects

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), which recently laid off 115 employees on June 28, revealed on Sunday that it would pause the termination of 55 faculty members and 60 non-teaching staff. This decision came after the Tata Education Trust (TET), led by former chairperson of the Tata Group, Ratan Tata, agreed to provide additional financial grants.

TISS stated that ongoing discussions with Tata Education Trust have solidified their commitment to addressing the issue. TET has committed to releasing funds for the salaries of the project, programme faculty, and non-teaching staff. The institute requested the staff to continue their work, assuring them that salaries will be disbursed upon receipt of the TET Support Grant.

Previously, TISS had laid off employees, attributing it to a shortfall in grants from Tata Education Trust for their salaries. The administration disclosed that they had been actively pursuing funding continuation from Tata Education Trust for the past six months, encountering challenges in maintaining operations due to delays in fund disbursement.

The employees who were previously terminated had been engaged in roles funded explicitly by the Trust for various projects. In contrast, faculty members who hold permanent positions at TISS campuses receive their remuneration through funding provided by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Originally established in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work, TISS underwent a name change to Tata Institute of Social Sciences in 1944. A pivotal moment came in 1964 when it attained the status of a Deemed University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956.

Since its establishment, TISS has consistently strived to achieve excellence in higher education. The institute has garnered acclaim for its extensive research endeavours in developmental studies, with a particular emphasis on advancing equality, promoting social justice, and advocating for human rights.