TISS and faculty sources have provided differing versions of the circumstances that led the institute to postpone its convocation, which was scheduled to take place in two days.
On the morning of July 31, TISS postponed the convocation ceremony scheduled for August 2. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant was set to be the chief guest, while the Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge, was to attend as the special guest.
Faculty sources stated that the institute postponed the event following a conference call held at midnight on July 30, involving Justice Ghuge, Vice-Chancellor Badri Narayan Tiwari, Registrar Narendra Mishra, and a member of Justice Kant’s personal staff.
Sources reported that Justice Ghuge informed the participants that, according to intelligence inputs, there was a possibility of protests during the convocation and suggested postponing the event.
According to the sources, Justice Ghuge was coordinating with TISS in the role of a protocol officer for Justice Kant’s visit, a role typically performed by the High Court Chief Justice when the CJI visits a state.
They further stated that the Vice-Chancellor immediately accepted the suggestion and instructed the Registrar to notify the graduating students via email. Sources noted that the emails informing students of the postponement were sent at 12:33 AM on July 31.
TISS Institute stated, “No Conference Call Took Place
TISS Institute stated, “No conference call took place between the VC, the TISS Registrar, the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, and the PA to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The decision to postpone the convocation ceremony was taken by TISS, and the concerned officials were informed about it.”
“This difficult decision was made in light of the emerging situation, which indicated that the ceremony could not be held in a conducive atmosphere at that time. The Institute conveyed this decision to all concerned parties.”
Also Read: How University Incubators Are Redefining Higher Education and Startups in India
