Supreme Court Grants Relief To TISS Dalit Scholar Suspended Over Protest March, Allows Him To Continue PhD

The Supreme Court on Friday (May 2 ) directed the Tata Institute of Social Sciences to reinstate Dalit Ph.D. scholar and Left student leader Ramadas K.S, who was earlier suspended for alleged "misconduct" and "anti-national activities."

A bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan did not invalidate the suspension. However, it directed that the suspension need not be continued. The bench expressed the view that Ramadas should be allowed to conclude his PhD.

"Without examining the claims and counter-claims on merits, we feel that TISS having suspended the petitioner on 18th April, 2024 and lapsing of more than a year since then, interest of justice would be best served if the order of suspension is not continued further and he be permitted to pursue the PhD course in TISS. Ordered accordingly," the bench observed.

The bench further directed that he should faithfully observe the Code of Conduct till such time he is a student of TISS. If there is any further allegation of breach of such code, TISS can proceed against him, the bench clarified.

It was in April 2024 that the TISS suspended Ramadas from the institute for two years and debarred his entry across all its campuses. The action came after Ramadas participated in a protest against the Central Government and the BJP, and opposing the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in a demonstration called the 'Parliament march' in January 2024 under the banner of TISS- PSF(Progressive Students' Forum ).

Ramadas approached the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court's verdict, which upheld his suspension. The High Court observed that the said protest/march was politically motivated and noted that TISS was correct in finding that Ramadas created an impression that the views expressed in the march represented the views of the institute and that this brought disrepute to the institute. 

It was in 2015 that Ramadas first enrolled with the TISS for a Master's degree in the course Media and Cultural Studies. He was awarded a scholarship from the institute. In 2018, he enrolled in the integrated M.Phil. and Ph.D. course in Development Studies. In 2023, he was awarded a National Fellowship in Scheduled Caste by the Union Ministry of Social Justice in view of his performance in the UGC-NET examination.

Appearances: For Petitioner(s) : Dr. S. Muralidhar, Sr. Adv; Mr. Yash S. Vijay, AOR; Mr. M. A. Karthik, Adv; Ms. Ninni Susan Thomas, Adv; Ms. Pallak Bhagat, Adv; Mr. Shikhar Aggarwal, Adv.; Mr. Yash Chavan, Adv.

For Respondent(s) :Mr. Rajeev K. Pandey, Adv; Mr. Vivek Singh, AOR; Mr. Ritik Dwivedi, Adv;

Case : RAMADAS KS VS. TATA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES | DIARY NO. - 21360/2025

 Click here to read the order