Two of the three UGC-funded centres get a temporary relief at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) that were on the verge getting closed. These institutes have got extension till March 2019.
The two centres namely Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policies and Advance Centre for Women’s Studies have been granted a year-long extension. But, fate of the third institute, Centre of Excellence for Human Rights Education — is still status quo as since UGC stopped funding from September 2017.
A senior official from the institute said that TISS has requested the extension of the third centre and release of pending funds for all the three centres. He said, “While we are happy that the two centres have got a year-long extension, there is no word from the UGC about the third. The institute has been funding all the activities of the third centre from its own resources and the centre is fully functional. We are hoping that the extension comes in soon.”
More than 20 teachers were issued termination letter from the three centres in March 2017. The termination was later revoked after the commission extended their tenure by a year, which is up to March 2018. In the absence of a clear mandate, however, the future of these centers faces threat. “Teachers working for these centers often get their salaries late. There is always uncertainty about whether or not they would be continued,” said a faculty member on the condition of anonymity.
