The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) on Sunday (June 30) said it has withdrawn the notices given to over 100 faculty and staff members, which included 55 teaching and 60 non-teaching staff, of non-renewal of contracts and asked them to continue their work. In the circular, the TISS said that all 55 faculty and 60 non-teaching staff were appointed under programme funded by the Tata Education Trust (TET) and were on a contractual basis with exact programme period.
The contracts of the teaching and non-teaching staff at four TISS campuses, including in Mumbai, Tuljapur, Hyderabad and Guwahati, were due to end on June 30 (Sunday). Ongoing discussions with Tata Education Trust have provided assurance that resources will be made available to TISS to resolve this issue, the circular said, adding TET has committed to releasing funds for salaries of TET project/programme faculty and non-teaching staff.
"The letter numbered Admn/5(1) TET-Faculty & Staff/2024, dated 28th June 2024, addressed to all concerned TET Programme faculty and non-teaching staff, is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect. They are requested to continue their work, and salaries will be released as soon as the TET Support Grant is received by the institute," the circular said.
Non-renewal of contract invites sharp criticism
The non-renewal of the contract had invited sharp criticism from the students body and fellow faculty members. A faculty member said these contracts had been issued for the teaching and non-teaching staff from grants received from the Tata Trust.
They accused the TISS administration of not foreseeing the situation.
"It is over the last 10-15 years that we have been receiving grants for employing additional faculty to teach various courses. That funding was to be renewed. The no-cost extension and renewal of grant doesn't seem to have happened in a timely manner," the person said.
"We were apprised on June 28 about the non-renewal of contracts. We told the TISS administration not to issue the letters (pertaining to non-renewal of contracts) till it hears from the Tata Trust. Let us try to find a solution. But our appeal did not find favour," the faculty member said.
(With PTI inputs)
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