Press Release
17-09-2024
Students’ Federation of India, Central Executive Committee.
The Central Executive Committee of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) celebrates the revocation of the ban on the Progressive Students’ Forum (PSF) and the revision of the anti-student Honour Code by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), a university headed by the union education minister Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan as chairman. This victory comes in direct result to the organised students’ resistance, and marks a milestone moment for the student movement and an inspiration for the student mobilisations in other deemed to be universities.
Following the arbitrary suspension of Ramadas Prini Sivanandan, a Dalit PhD scholar and SFI Central Executive Committee member, the ban on PSF, imposed on August 19, 2024, designated the organization as an “unauthorized and illegal forum” and accused it of “misleading students” and “defaming the institute.” The ban on PSF was more significant as it represented the most active student organizational experiment among deemed universities in India, which strongly opposed the anti-student policies of both BJP-led union government and university administration. The new Honour Code, introduced shortly after, explicitly prohibited students from engaging in “political, anti-establishment, or unpatriotic discussions, demonstrations, or dharnas.” Both measures were met with widespread resistance from the student community. These attempts were a direct effort to suppress students questioning the BJP-led government’s policies.
Following the ban on PSF at TISS, the SFI Central Executive Committee had called for a nationwide protest against the same and appealed to all sections of society to intervene in defense of campus democracy. The response from other student organizations, farmers’ groups, trade unions, and civil society was immense. We acknowledge that these achievements are crucial steps forward; however, it is essential to remain vigilant. The SFI applauds the courage and determination of all students at TISS, especially the members of PSF, who mobilized to challenge the authoritarian actions of the BJP-led union government. In solidarity with all students fighting for their rights in other universities, we celebrate these significant victories while reaffirming our commitment to continue fighting for academic freedom, social justice, and the protection of student rights.
Released by
V P Sanu (President, SFI)
Mayukh Biswas (General Secretary, SFI)