Victory for Students’ Movement! Revoking the Undemoractic Ban on PSF at TISS
Sandesh Ramteke
In the last few months, the student movement in India has seen a historic victory at theTata Institute of Social Sciences, a premier social science institute under the union government. An undemocratic ban on PSF was imposed and later revoked following student resistance.
TISS was also undergoing changes like many other universities, particularly following the takeover by the union government in 2023, with the union minister of education becoming its chairman. It has been witnessing several attacks on the academic character of the institute, gearing towards a rapid shift to align TISS with the regressive tenets set in the NEP, 2020 and Sangh Parivar politics. This resulted in crucial policy changes like replacing TISS NET as an entrance exam to adopting CUET with a reduced weightage for personal interviews, introducing a Four-Year Undergraduate Programme, reducing hostel capacity, fee hikes, and attempts to remove instalment fee payments for SC-ST students. At the same time, a brutal attack was unleashed on students and student organisations for repeatedly calling into question the moves of the administration.
The aggressive onslaught on the democratic character and student rights was commenced with the arbitrary suspension of Ramadas Prini Sivanandan, a Dalit PhD scholar and SFI Central Executive Committee member who previously served as the general secretary of Progressive Students Forum at TISS, for addressing a protest gathering against the NEP and BJP govt policies in a rally jointly organised by 16 students’ organisations, United Students of India, and urging students to watch Ram Ke Naam through his social media. This was followed by disolving of the democratically elected student unions across all four TISS campuses days before 119 teaching and non-teaching staff were terminated, and the Honour Code was revised to refrain students from participating in “any political, anti-establishment, unpatriotic discussions, demonstrations, dharna or any form of activities” and ban on Progressive Students Forum at TISS.
The Progressive Students’ Forum, formed in 2012, had been actively working towards raising student issues and organising students in TISS while at the same time organising numerous events, talks, lectures, panel discussions, memorial lectures, and cultural programmes. The organisation consistently pushed to ensure accountability and transparency within the administrative functioning and accessible education to all students at TISS. Increasingly, crucial developments in the institute were made without considering the students’ views or through proper administrative procedures. PSF was always the first to counter that, be it the untimely and problematic reorganisation of the ICC, ban on student-led events, removal of PhD scholars from hostels, or hurdles put up in admission procedure, among others. In essence PSF has played a crucial role in designing the democratic character and defending the secular fabric inside this university by uncompromisingly standing with interest of the students’ from all walks especially the marginalised sections.
The administration could not handle the pressure of students uniting under a progressive and secular banner to question its policies, failures and hypocrisies. Because of this, an arbitrary ban was placed on PSF on 19th August 2024. A call for a social boycott of PSF stating that action would be taken against PSF members if they approached any students or staff for support. On the same day TISS administration under BJP led unon government has initiated disciplinary proceedings against five students and one alumnus and demanded a justification for their association with PSF in past. The administration intended to instil fear among common students from organising in any shape or form to question or raise a dissenting voice as a collective. The administration wanted to relegate students as individuals who must not think beyond their classrooms for their welfare and for a just education system.
A month-long movement followed, and a nationwide campaign was conducted to resist the unlawful ban. For the first time in the history of our country, a student organisation was banned by a university administration, something that is promoted by the UGC guidelines for students’ entitlement. All non-Sangh Parvivar-backed organisations in TISS came together to condemn the act immediately. At the same time, the SFI-CEC gave a national protest call against this action, taking the message across university campuses in India. Students, alumni, teachers, student organisations, mass organisations and civil society were quick to come out in solidarity with PSF and the right for students to organise. Over 500 alumni of TISS came together to publicly condemn the move as an attack on the ‘fundamental ethos of TISS’ while the TISS Teachers’ Association called student organisations the ‘strength’ of the institute. Numerous representatives of the former TISS student unions came out in solidarity with PSF while protests were organised across university campuses.
While student activities remained dormant in TISS, godi media started a vicious campaign to vilify students. They put them into the hands of communal cyber bullies when Aaj Tak termed PSF as the “Pakistan Students Federation” while reporting on the matter. At the same time, many issues plagued the TISS student community, including the modified honour code, removal of instalment fee payment, and uncertainty over mass termination of staff.
Among the deemed-to-be and premier universities in India, PSF represents a unique experiment which seeks to mobilise students on progressive secular values. While instilling fear among students, the ban was also an attempt to challenge this experiment.
Among the deemed-to-be and premier universities in India, PSF represents a unique experiment which seeks to mobilise students on progressive secular values. While instilling fear among students, the ban was also an attempt to challenge this experiment. PSF members resolved that the ban was arbitrary and unconstitutional and must be rejected and resisted by all means. PSF wrote to eminent academicians pointing out the importance of student organisations and PSF in university spaces and the initiatives of PSF in ensuring students from marginalised backgrounds can be part of premier institutes. It is also pointed out the dangerous bend of the administration towards the ruling government and Sangh Parivar, which considered any dissent, even against the administration, unacceptable. At the same time, efforts were made to organise students and civil society across the country to resist such actions.
With the Convocation at TISS looming around and the mass support building in favour of PSF, the administration had to revoke the ban on PSF on 16th September 2024, along with revising the Honour Code by removing the problematic clauses denying students the right to organise and protest. For the first time in the history of India, a ban on a student organisation was revoked following the public protests. It was a victory for the student community, which showed that as a united front, students must come together to resist such unconstitutional and undemocratic tactics of the Sangh Parivar in the educational institutions to disrupt the promotion of progressive secular values.
The revocation of the ban and the overwhelming solidarity from all sections of society highlights the importance of the student movement to engage and support struggles outside our campuses. It is crucial to strike solidarities and support movements that take forward the struggle for a progressive worldview. For example, in a statement of solidarity with PSF, the All India Kisan Sabha acknowledged the “Several lectures and seminars organised by the PSF”, which helped expose the “pro-corporate orientation of the farm bills unleashed by the Modi regime” during the farmers protest in 2021-22.
PSF came back after the ban to an immense reception by students of TISS and continues to be the flagbearer of the progressive secular ethos and to ensure all students can access public-funded higher education at premier institutes like TISS. Now, with two units in the Mumbai and Hyderabad campuses of TISS, the movement is stronger than ever to resist the rising trend of communal politics and hate within campus spaces. The succesfull experiment that PSF represents continues to stay strong and grow at private, deemed to be and autonomous universities in India and beyond as united front of students.