TISS withdraws termination of employees after Tata Trust agrees to release funds

Established in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work, TISS was renamed Tata Institute of Social Sciences in 1944.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) announced on Sunday that it would halt the termination of 55 faculty members and 60 non-teaching staff across its four campuses, following Tata Education Trust's (TET) agreement to extend financial grants.

In response to assurances from Tata Trusts, TISS issued a statement, saying, "Ongoing discussions with Tata Education Trust have ensured commitment towards resolving this issue. TET has pledged to release funds for the salaries of project, programme faculty, and non-teaching staff".

Earlier, TISS had terminated these employees on June 28, citing a lack of grants from Tata Education Trust for their salaries despite numerous efforts. These staff members were engaged under projects funded by the Trust, while permanent faculty members at TISS campuses are under the payroll of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Also read: TISS dismisses 55 faculty members, 60 non-teaching staff across campuses due to funding issues: Report

An email seeking comments from a Tata Trusts spokesperson remained unanswered as of now.

Established in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work, TISS was renamed Tata Institute of Social Sciences in 1944. A significant milestone occurred in 1964 when it was declared a Deemed University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956.

Since its inception, TISS has aimed to excel in higher education and is renowned for its research in developmental studies, focusing on equality, social justice, and human rights.