THE HUMANE TOUCH

Field work and the exposure beyond book learning is what arms TISS graduates with the confidence to get on top of any situation

- SUHANI SINGH

The verdant Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) campus in Mumbai's Deonar is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the busy metropolis.

But it's the learning done outside of it that the esteemed institute most prides itself on. TISS's School of Social Work (SSW) has 16 field action projects that see students work with the government, non-government institutions and communities. Last year, it was able to impact 45,000 people through these programmes and was awarded the Best Socially Responsible Institution by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The exposure is what makes TISSians winners in all that they do.

Innovation in its academic programme and community engagement are the key initiatives in SSW's quest to "create competent and committed professionals to respond to the needs of the community", says Dr Bipin Jojo, dean of SSW. Teaching is not restricted to imparting lessons from books, but also through films and documentaries to get a better understanding of ideas like social justice, and by attending conferences such as the two held last year-on social work research and fieldwork as social education. The diverse socio-cultural backgrounds of its students also helps breed a culture of inclusivity and cooperation.

WHAT SETS IT APART?

TISS, Mumbai, is ranked first in the number of CSR projects done by colleges offering MSW degrees

It earned an NAAC CGPA score of 3.9/4

Rs 11.26 crore worth of research and consultancy work was offered to the college in the past year, the highest among colleges offering MSW

The average annual salary (domestic) offered to students was Rs 6.4 lakh last year, the second highest among colleges offering MSW degree