Founded in 1936, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai has evolved into India’s top social sciences university reputed for academic and research excellence. Last year TISS celebrated its platinum jubilee with deserved aplomb

Sited on two green campuses in Mumbai’s north-eastern suburb of Deonar, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) is widely acknowledged as India’s premier institution for higher education and research in the social sciences. Founded in 1936 as Sir Dorabji Tata Institute of Social Work with 20 students and renamed Tata Institute of Social Sciences in 1944, this pioneer institution was conferred deemed university status in 1964 and awarded a 5-star ‘A’ grade rating by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in 2010.

Last year, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai celebrated its platinum jubilee with aplomb staging a national conference, alumni meet, memorial lecture, art exhibition and other cultural programmes to commemorate its evolution into India’s top-ranked social sciences university reputed for academic and research excellence. Among the institute’s well-known alumni are social activist Medha Patkar; Anu Aga, chairman Thermax Industries; Purnima Mane, president of Pathfinder International and Adil Malia, president (human resources) of the Essar Group.

“Last year was a year of celebration, reflection, and consolidation for TISS. In the light of this momentous journey of 75 years, as we survey the entirety of its reach — both geographically and in terms of action and research — one sees the institute’s steady evolution into a premium multifaceted institution. Like the tree that has become our logo, TISS has branched out into diverse areas of action, pedagogy, and research, while being rooted firmly in the fast-changing developmental context. This year also marks a period of reflection reminding us of the increasing social relevance of our institution in today’s world; and at the same time a period of consolidation, in preparation for a new era of unprecedented growth,” says Dr. S. Parasuraman, director, TISS. An alumnus of Pune and Mumbai universities and the International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Parasuraman served as the Asian regional policy coordinator, Action Aid International, Bangkok, before taking charge as director of TISS in 2004.

TISS, which receives a Rs.45 crore annual grant from University Grants Commission, is essentially a post-graduate institution with its ten schools (education; management and labour studies; rural development; social work; health systems studies; habitat studies; law, rights and constitutional governance; vocational education; development studies; media and cultural studies) offering over 18 postgraduate, doctoral and certificate programmes to 2,000 students. TISS also boasts four independent centres — human ecology, social exclusion and inclusive policies, lifelong learning and research methodology. Moreover India’s first institute of social work has established collaborative research and student exchange programmes with over 25 universities and consortiums in Africa, Asia, the US and Europe. Its academic and research activities apart, TISS is an important training and capacity building partner of the Union government and international development organisations.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai is spread across five campuses, two in Mumbai and one each in Tuljapur, Hyderabad and Guwahati. The Mumbai campuses host 1,400 Masters and 320 doctoral students with 180 full-time faculty members. The main campus in Deonar is spread over ten acres and houses the schools of social work, social sciences, health systems, as also the independent centres for lifelong learning, media and cultural studies, research methodology, resource centres and administrative offices. The Sir Dorabji Tata Memorial Library stocks 103,000 volumes, subscribes to 200 journals and has 1,600 audio-visual materials. The second 11-acre Naoroji (Mumbai) campus, on Deonar Farm Road overlooking the Trombay hills, houses the schools of habitat studies, management and labour studies as also the Jamsetji Tata Centre for Disaster Management. Apart from a dining hall, canteen and student hostels, the campus boasts a modern convention centre with a 500-seat auditorium.

In 1986, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai began construction of a third campus in Tuljapur, in the Osmanabad district of Maharashtra. Spread over 100 acres, it houses a school of rural development, library, hostels and guest house. Currently the campuses in Hyderabad and Guwahati are housed in temporary accommodation and offer certificate courses in decentralised planning and rural development plus diploma programmes in community organisation and development practice. All three campuses will launch a five-year integrated Masters programme in social sciences from June this year.

According to Parasuraman, the distinguishing feature of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai post-graduate education is rigorous curriculums combining theoretical and experimental learning delivered by highly qualified faculty deeply engaged in research. “The Masters programmes integrate classroom teaching with on-field projects and internships. In the academic year 2011-2012, a total of 179 research and documentation projects were ongoing at the institute and 228 papers written by our faculty were published in renowned journals and publications,” he says.

Having crossed the platinum jubilee milestone year, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai management is looking to consolidate and expand its academic menu and research activities. On the drawing board are plans to spin off TISS’ school of vocational education into a National Vocational University (NVU) encompassing 19 schools, with pan India coverage and three regional campuses verticals by 2014-15; introduction of an integrated B.Ed-M.Ed programme at the Tuljapur, Guwahati and Hyderabad campuses from 2013; setting up of an incubation centre to foster entrepreneurship among TISS graduates, and redesign of the social work curriculum. “All our present and future endeavours will be focused on fulfilling our mission — to create knowledge, work closely with State and non-state institutions, and strive to produce conscientious graduates committed to building a just and equitable society,” says Parasuraman.

Kalpana Rangan (Mumbai)