Editor,
It was a very kind gesture of TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences) that they have facilitated the students of the North East with a separate reservation policy of 66% to get admission into it’s Guwahati campus. But this year the students of NEHU more particularly BSW students will not be able to get admission into MSW courses run by TISS Guwahati, as the PIT(Pre Interview Test) and PI(Panel Interview) dates clashed with NEHU BA, BSc, BSW examinations dates, which started from 3rd March, as NEHU had to re-reschedule the date of examinations due to recently held assembly elections in Meghalaya.
The aspiring students were hopeful as the admission bulletin mentioned that PIT & PI will be held up to 20th March at Mumbai and if dates of examinations clash, TISS would take that into consideration. But several communications made through e-mails and telephonic conversations for rescheduling of PIT & PI dates between 18-20 March, went in vain for the TISS entrance examinations cleared students from NEHU. The students were informed by the TISS authority that they have to appear in PIT & PI on 14th of March, which is impossible for these students, as they have to appear in their final examinations on that very date. Hence the NEHU students shortlisted for PIT & PI at Mumbai, are demoralized as they appear to have been unofficially declared disqualified to study at TISS (Guwahati) campus. Hence the 66% seat reservations for the NE students would go waste as the BSW students from NEHU will be debarred from admission at TISS(G). They are being punished for no fault of theirs.
For the sake of the students we urge the TISS authority, the Government of Meghalaya, Government of Assam, DONER ministry, the students’ organizations like NESO, AASU, KSU to look into the matter and make some arrangements for PIT & PI for these students either at the Mumbai o Guwahati campus at least for this session. Otherwise the students, more particularly BSW students from NEHU, the only A graded (NAAC accredited) university of the north east will be deprived of studying at TISS.
Yours etc.,
Jyoti Prakash Mahanta,
Via email