Progressive Students Forum writes to TISS Chancellor requesting to revoke ban order

The TISS on Monday issued an “immediate ban” on PSF, a students’ group affiliated to the Left-leaning Students Federation of India (SFI). The order, signed by officiating registrar Prof. Anil Sutar called PSF an “unauthorised and illegal forum” on campus and banned it on the accusation that it was “misleading students” and “defaming the institute” and “creating division among the students and faculty”.

The PSF which has been active on campus since 2012, in its letter to the Chancellor expressed shock at being called unauthorised. “PSF is a group of TISS students duly authorised by its student membership, which has been involved for several years in lawful, peaceful and democratic student activities that have aided students. Whenever PSF has used classrooms, auditoriums, or sound systems provided by the Institute for events and programmes, we have always taken prior permission from the concerned authorities.

Accordingly, this kind of arbitrary action against PSF is unwarranted and condemnable and should be taken back immediately,” states the letter while also adding that extreme language used in the ban-order attempts to “ostracise and target student members of PSF and vilify the group”.

The students’ group provides a list of different issues in the recent past between PSF and TISS administration, and adds that the ban is “an unprecedented move marking the start of a dangerous practice,” in public institutions. The letter highlights that the institute administration has stopped all student-led activities since January after the formation of a committee to formulate new guidelines for permissions.

Chancellor of TISS Prof. D P Singh was unavailable for comment.

The TISS Teachers Association (TISSTA) too has taken cognizance of the TISS administrations’ ban of the PSF and has written to the Registrar of the institute on Friday urging to reconsider the order. Stating that such a ban is in violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, the TISSTA adds that existence of different student bodies in TISS is a strength and that management should “Constructively engage” with them.