Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Tata Institute of Social Sciences

टाटा सामाजिक विज्ञान संस्थान
Motto	भविष्य की पुनर्कल्पना
Motto in English	Re-Imagining Futures
Type	Public
Established	1936
Founder	J. R. D. Tata
Director	S. Parsuraman
Location	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India 19°02′39″N 72°54′45″E / 19.044257°N 72.912494°E / 19.044257; 72.912494Coordinates: 19°02′39″N 72°54′45″E / 19.044257°N 72.912494°E / 19.044257; 72.912494
Campus	Urban, 21 acres (0.085 km2) (Main Campus and Naoroji Campus)
Acronym	TISS
Affiliations	UGC, NAAC
Website	www.tiss.edu www.campus.tiss.edu

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) is a social sciences institute with its main campus based in Mumbai, India. Since its establishment in 1936, it has been one of the premier institutes in India in social sciences, human development, public policy and economics.^[1] The institute is a part of an elite group of research and higher learning institutes with early support from the Tata Trusts in India. Other institutes in this group include Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc) and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).^[2]

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences was ranked in top Indian universities, colleges and institutes in Social, Demography and Economics research by a Stanford University study.^[3] The master's degree programme in Human Resource Management and Labour Relations (erstwhile Personnel Management and Industrial Relations) offered at the TISS Mumbai campus is one of the most prestigious programs in the field of HR in India.

TISS also has campuses in Hyderabad, Guwahati, Tuljapur and an extension campus at BALM, Chennai .

History

TISS was established in 1936, as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work, the first school of social work in India. It was renamed to its current name in 1944. It was recognised as a Deemed University in 1964 ^[4] by the University Grants Commission of India. TISS started out as a small institute offering a post-graduate diploma in Social Work, but has since expanded continuously in terms of educational programmes and infrastructure (see list of programs). The first director of the institute was Clifford Manshardt, who aimed to establish a post-graduate social work school of national stature that would engage in a continuous study of Indian social issues and create meaningful interventions.

Over the years, the Institute has, among other thrusts, made a significant contribution to policy, planning, action strategies and human resource development. It has done so in several areas, ranging from sustainable rural and urban development to education, health, communal harmony, human rights and industrial relations. TISS has earned recognition as an institution of repute from different Ministries of the Government of India and various State Governments, as well as international agencies such as the United Nations, and the non-government sector, both national and international.

Academic collaborations

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences has a history of collaboration with institutions in India. The institute also has academic and research collaborations with other institutes and universities including University of Chicago,^[5] London School of Economics,^[6] Massachusetts Institute of Technology,^[7] Sciences Po,^[8] and 12 universities under the Erasmus Mundus program.^[9]

London School of Economics and Political Science research collaboration, was launched at LSE in June 2007.^[10] The programme is undertaken in two streams, namely, Social Sciences and Health.^[11] The research themes developed in Social Sciences have been in various Centres and Departments at LSE together with TISS such as Business Model Innovation at the Base of the Pyramid, Civil Society and Global Governance, Colonialism and Welfare: Social Policy and the British Imperial Legacy, Democracy and Development, Governance and the Governed, Population and Development, Social Protection, Economic Growth and Social Change, and Urban Planning & Development.

Campuses and schools

Campuses

There are four campuses of TISS, located at Mumbai, Tuljapur, Hyderabad and Guwahati.

Mumbai

TISS was established in 1936 as Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work in Mumbai.^[12] It was renamed to its current name Tata Institute of Social Sciences in 1944. TISS Mumbai is the main campus of the TISS. In the year 1964, it was declared Deemed to be a University^[13] under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956. TISS Mumbai provides various M.A., M.Phil & Ph.D programs. Over the years, TISS Mumbai is well known for its contribution through research in social work, social sciences, human resources management & health systems.

Tuljapur

TISS Tuljapur in Osmanabad district of Maharashtra was set up with support from the Government of Maharashtra in 1986. The campus houses the School of Rural Development with several centres. It is a 100-acre campus located in the outskirts of Tuljapur. The campus has commenced offering the Five Year Integrated Masters programme since 2012. It has a computer centre, library, gymnasium, girls and boys hostels, guest house, faculty and staff quarters.

The initial focus of the Institute on rural development projects and field action has widened to include academic activities with grass root level involvement both by faculty and students in the last 7 years.

TISS Tuljapur offers bachelor's(one of the few in the country to offer a liberal arts course) and master's level courses in Social Sciences, Social Work Rural Development, Development Policy, Planning & Practices, Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Livelihoods, Natural Resources Management And Governance.

Hyderabad

TISS Hyderabad came into being with the approval of Academic Council and Governing Board of TISS. The Registrations under Societies Registrations Act and Public Trust Act of the TISS Mumbai are valid for TISS Hyderabad as well. TISS Mumbai provides oversight to matters of admission, instruction, evaluation of TISS Hyderabad and confers TISS degrees. Currently, it operates from two campuses: one in AMR-APARD in Rajendranagar, and the other in Roda Mistry School of Social Work in Gachibowli.

At the invitation of the Government of Telangana, TISS is in the process of setting up a 100 acres campus in Kothur Mandal, Mahabubnagar district.^[14][15]

Guwahati

TISS Guwahati has been set up at the behest of the government of Assam and the Ministry of Department of North East Region, Government of India. TISS Guwahati has been contributing to the development sector in the North East through a well-conceived Diploma Programme in Community Organisation and Development Practice since June 2009. Currently, TISS Guwahati is operating out of an interim campus in the heart of the city in Guwahati.

TISS Guwahati has commenced offering the Five Year Integrated Masters programme since 2012 along with two years master's degree programme in Social Work and Ecology, Environment and Sustainable Development. Several new academic programmes are being offered beyond the existing programmes from the academic year 2014–15.

The campus space is equipped with a cyber library, conference hall, and classrooms with provisions for video conferencing. Student hostels separately for men and women are available. These are managed and maintained by TISS. A full-fledged campus is being established on 15 acres of land located within the Assam Engineering College campus.

Governance

The institute has a governing board nominated by the Government of India, Government of Maharashta, the University of Mumbai and the University Grants Commission along with representatives from the institute faculty. S. Ramadorai, vice chairman, TCS and Advisor to the Prime Minister of India, is the current honorary chairperson of TISS. The chairperson of the governing board has functions similar to that of the chancellor of a conventional university. The academic council decides matters of academic nature and comprises faculty drawn from the institute's 4 campuses and as well as 6 external experts.^[16]

Director of TISS, Prof. S. Parasuraman at the Institute

Director

The director of the institute acts as both the academic and administrative head. This position is similar to that of the vice-chancellor of any university. The current director of the institute is S. Parasuraman. He has authored books and more than 50 research articles on various aspects of the development sector.^[17]

Deputy Directors

The Deputy Director (equivalent to post of pro-vice-chancellor) is the Academic Head of the Institute.^[18]

• TISS Mumbai Academics is headed by Deputy Director Prof Shalini Bharat and Research Wing is headed by Deputy Director Prof Surinder Jaswal.
• TISS Hyderabad is headed by Deputy Director Prof S. Siva Raju.
• TISS Guwahati is headed by Deputy Director Prof D.K. Srivastava.
• TISS Tuljapur is headed by Deputy Director Prof Abdul Shaban.

Notable faculty and alumni

Faculty and past faculty

• J M Kumarappa, director of the institute and Rajya Sabha member.
• A R Wadia, An educationist-philanthropist, a Padma Bhusan awardee and Rajya Sabha member.
• Madhav Sadashiv Gore, responsible for the development of social science research and consolidation of TISS.
• Behram H. Mehta, taught community organisation and public welfare, and conducted post-partition relief work.
• Gauri Rani Banerji, first head of the department of medical and psychiatric social work.
• N F Kaikobad, taught community organisation, head of the department of urban and rural welfare.
• J J Panakkal, The first head of the department of criminology and correctional administration, one of the first Indian criminologists.

Alumni

• Medha Patkar, social activist^[19]
• Anu Aga, former chairman, Thermax^[20]
• Purnima Mane, president and CEO, Pathfinder International^[21][22]
• Subhash Mendhapurkar, social activist, Himachal Pradesh
• Gursimran Khamba, Stand-up comedian and writer, he is the co-founder of All India Bakchod.

References

External links

• Official website