The Problem of Accommodation – TISS, Mumbai

I am an M Phil student at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. The institute has a severe paucity of hostels. Usually hostels are only provided on priority basis mostly to students who are in second year of MA and M. Phil. Rental accommodations nearby are extremely expensive. 6000 per person for a room shared by 2 people is the average. These accommodations are unfurnished and are located in areas which are not considered very safe. For a relatively safe rental accommodation which has all the basic facilities, students have to pay around 13000-­14000 for a shared room. 

Living Wage for All Researchers-Living Wage for All Workers!

OCCUPY UGC ON 26th OCT, 2 PM ‪#‎occupyugc‬ ‪#‎livingwageforallresearchers‬ ‪#‎livingwageforallworkers‬

As the protest against withdrawal of stipends provided to researchers moved into its 3rd day, students who were occupying the University Grants Commission (UGC) were detained by CRPF at 6 in the morning. They were then taken to Bhalaswa Dairy police station. Earlier, ABVP students pelted stones at the protesting students inside the UGC office. In support and to continue the protest another call was made to gather at the UGC office that was to culminate with a protest at 5 in the evening at Jantar Mantar.

What happened later during the day has happened quite often. UGC office was completely barricaded off by the police against which the students struggled. As the students broke the barricades, a brief lathi charge led to a couple of students being badly injured. As a follow up measure, voices came up to chakka jam (road block) the main ITO road against those who called for a sit-down to wait for a round of conversation with the UGC authorities. Ultimately, on the basis of a referendum, the chakka jam won. Due to pressure from the Delhi police, the road block didn’t last long. The students eventually settled to protest on the other side of UGC building while still cordoned off by the barricades. ABVP came to limelight again as a bunch of them were seen protesting with the same demands, albeit with a tweak. The police detained them, but unlike the morning detention, they were let off after the bus had merely travelled for 30 metres or so.

Living Wage for all Researchers!

On 7th Oct. the UGC decided to scrap the Non NET Fellowship from the next academic year. This fellowship provides the much needed monthly stipend of 5000 and 8000 to MPhil and PhD students respectively, and is applicable to all research students who are not covered by any other fellowship. Other than this, the UGC provides the JRF fellowship which covers a minority of the total students who qualify the NET. While not confirmed, it appears likely that given the existing UGC fellowships, and the scrapping of the Non NET fellowship, there will be no financial support for the majority of research students, barring those who qualify for JRF and a handful of other fellowships.

This news came out on 20th Oct (the UGC failed to broadcast the decision), via newspapers. Students in Delhi and Hyderabad have organised protests. The Hyderabad Student Union has demanded the reinstatement of the Fellowship with higher stipends. A demonstration has been organised in the campus.