TISS-Hyd shuts down campus indefinitely, students asked to vacate by evening 

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad has suspended academic activities of the campus sine-die. The students have been directed to vacate the campus at 5 pm on Monday. The institute said in its notice that they had tried to make 'one more appeal' to the students to return to the campus but when they saw students at the entrance, they 'did not deem it fit to make an attempt to enter the premises.'

In the notice, the management stated the developments of the case and stated that — 'In view of the continued illegal activities, disturbances, some of which are cited above, the Institute has come to conscious conclusion that it is not safe, practicable and not in the interest of all students, teaching and non teaching staff to continue its normal academic activities within the campus'.

The students are now all gathered in the girls' hostel common dining area since the hostel is outside the campus.

The TISS students' protests entered the eight day on Monday and over 15 students are currently on a hunger strike. About ten faculty members sat with the students to discuss possible future plans of action and the  students are expecting the management committee to discuss a new proposal with them by Monday evening.

On Sunday, three students were taken to the hospital, the students accused the institute for not taking 'accountability' for the health of the students. The management held a three-hour long meeting with the students, "But they were going on telling us the same thing. The administration did not entertain any dialogue beyond the proposal they presented two days ago," the students said.

A statement from the students said, "All questions regarding the illegality of the contract and the disregard for the institute's diversity while settling for a private vendor were dismissed. It  was revealed that there is no official contract for the hostels as of now. The finalisation of the informal contract was done over a phone call."

The students also said in their statement that the management admitted to the fact that the rent in the region ranged between 4-6,000 rupees. "They agreed to the current tariff as they could not guarantee the hostel owner, 400 students for the hostels," the students alleged.

As the students had been continuing their strike, the management sent a second notice to all the parents. "The letter had a very threatening tone," a student said.

The management said in their letter the same things they said in the notice that they had tried all means to come to some sort of resolution with the students, "Inspite of efforts made by the institute, a group of students continue their protest and blockade, We are in constant dialogue with them. We are concerned about the students and their well-being jeopardised by a group of students with their prolonged protest," they said. 

A member of the Student Action Committee said that the students are 'enraged' by the actions and are deliberating on their next steps.