Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has extended the services of over 100 contractual faculty members and non-teaching employees by six months after withdrawing their terminations.

Nearly 450 eminent persons, including academics, have written an open letter to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to urge the government to regularise the employees since the Union education ministry provides 90 per cent of the funds.

Anil Sutar, the officiating registrar of TISS, on Friday wrote to all the contractual faculty members and employees, whose services were terminated and later the cessation letters were withdrawn, that they will continue to be on their jobs till December 31, 2024.

The employees received their salaries from the Tata Education Trust (TET) while the regular employees got it from government grants.

“The institute now received the grant with ‘no cost extension’ from TET for the project titled ‘Institutional Support to TISS, Mumbai’ towards the salary of teaching and non-teaching staff appointed under the said project. Accordingly, your services at the institute are extended from June 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. Other terms and
conditions of your appointment will remain the same,” the letter stated.

“However, the said grant has been released up to December 31, 2024, only and accordingly, your services will come to an end on December 31, 2024. The institute is trying and working on the sustainability plan to continue the academic programmes of the institute and retain the services of the contractual faculty and staff members in the projects,” the letter said.

After TISS withdrew the termination letters, the teachers’ association and some student groups had expressed apprehension that the relief was temporary.

Nearly 450 academics, including Nandini Sundar of Delhi University, retired DU professor Anita Rampal, retired JNU professor C.P. Chandrasekhar and filmmaker Anand Patwardhan have signed the open appeal addressed to Pradhan for the regularisation of these faculty and staff.

“Since TISS is now completely within the remit of governance of the Union government, we appeal to you to take urgent action to safeguard their future. Regularisation of these more than 100 employees will go a long way in securing a healthy and productive future development for TISS as an institution. It will also contribute to the much-needed strengthening of public education in India. We urge you to take steps to ensure the same,” they appealed.