After students raised a hue and cry over the withholding of results by the TISS administration over non-payment of fees, the administration issued a clarification regarding this. The administration, in its note, claimed that they were not violating any rules and that all institutes withhold results of students who fail to clear dues or don’t submit required certificates. They have also said efforts are being made to release the results of the GOI-PMS students despite non-payment of dues.
Stating that the requirement of a no-dues certificate was also a routine requirement, the administration said, “It is a normal practice everywhere to withhold results of students who fail to clear their dues or do not submit migration certificates etc. TISS is not the only institute to follow such rules. The graduating students who had dues over several semesters to clear were completely aware that they were allowed to write their exams ONLY on the condition that their results will be declared subject to clearance of dues. This was even indicated to them while declaration of the results in the previous semester. The Acting Registrar said in his statement that the said concession was made on the request of the Students’ Union.
The institute did, however, say that they would put all efforts to release the results of the ‘Government of India - Post Matric Scholarship’ (GOI-PMS) students inspite of the hostel and mess dues they have pending. “The students eligible for GOI PMS are already given concessions in tuition and other programme fees. They are expected to apply for GOI PMS in their respective state portals and deposit the first year scholarship received from the state govt to the institute,” they urged.
In response to the circular, the Students’ Union also encouraged students to pay their first-year fees and were happy about the scholarship students being given some respite, “We welcome the news of efforts being taken towards releasing the results of GOI-PMS students, although this decision was not conveyed to the Students’ Union or the general student body until this clarification.”
Citing the difficulties that the administration had been facing because of the lockdown, the college also mentioned that despite difficulties, they had ensured the results had been released and that due to technical glitches there were issues with the ‘no-dues’ certificate since it was being released online for the first time.
To this, the Students’ Union said, “The earlier communications from the institute by TISS over mail had made it clear that the dues have to be cleared to access the results. This pressured the students to pay the fee, and this was the time when the Student Management Portal itself was showing errors in the due amounts, which the institute has inadvertently admitted in the circular that was released. Hence it is illogical for the institute to pressurise students to pay the fee with a faulty system vis-a-vis the website, as well as in principle.” They also accused the administration of only addressing these concerns when it got media attention, “The declaration of such "clarifications" only when students’ issues reach the attention of national media is a major concern for all. Many students are facing issues with dues of hostel and dining Hall to this date, some even with fees duly paid.”
“However, we demand the extension of fee payment deadlines until the students on scholarship receive their respective amounts which should include both GOI-PMS and Non-GOI-PMS. The list of students facing fee payment issues in our campus had already been collated and submitted to the institute by the SU for reference,” the Union added.
The Union and the administration though seemed to go head to head on the issue of media attention - the latter accused the former of causing a disservice to the institute by going to the media without clarifying with the institute and negatively portrayed their ‘agreement’ in media, “Faculty and students are requested to verify facts with appropriate authorities within the Institute before approaching media to air their grievances.” In response, the Union said it did not have any ill-intention, “We have no ill intention to put the institute in a negative image. In the past we have demanded de-linking of semester registration, examination, and results from fee payment. ONLY final degrees being withheld until the final payment of their fees is met on a case-by-case basis. Disbarring access to the e-copy of results, which as mentioned in the e-copy itself "cannot be treated as an original grade sheet” is the concern the SU has been raising all along,” they argued.
