Students at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai are staging protests following the suspension of PhD scholar Ramadas Prini Sivanandan, who has been barred from entering any TISS campus for two years.
The protests, which erupted during the institute’s convocation ceremony, have been fueled by claims of administrative overreach and police action on campus, with students demanding not only Sivanandan’s reinstatement but also action to prevent job losses affecting 119 teachers and staff.
Sivanandan, a Dalit scholar from Kerala, was suspended on what the administration describes as disciplinary grounds, but students argue that the action is a targeted attempt to suppress dissenting voices. The Progressive Students' Forum (PSF), a left-leaning student collective at TISS, has taken a lead role in opposing the suspension, stating that the administration's decision reflects a broader pattern of silencing critical voices within the institution.
During the convocation, students peacefully protested by displaying placards calling for the revocation of Sivanandan's suspension. However, eyewitnesses claim that the situation escalated when police intervened, forcibly removing and detaining several student activists. This alleged police action has triggered further outrage among the student body and various civil society groups, who see it as a troubling sign of administrative crackdown on legitimate dissent.
As per Republic World report, the TISS administration has remained silent on both the suspension of Sivanandan and the claims of police action on campus. Meanwhile, support for the protesting students is growing, with numerous student organisations, academic circles, and civil rights groups voicing solidarity. Many are calling for Sivanandan’s immediate reinstatement and a review of the circumstances leading to the suspension, which they argue disproportionately affects marginalised students.
The situation at TISS remains tense as students continue to protest, with no clear resolution in sight. The incident has sparked wider discussions about freedom of speech, academic freedom, and the right to dissent within Indian higher education institutions.
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