Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)

About Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS):

• It is a multi-campus, public funded research university in Mumbai, India.
• TISS is Asia's oldest institute for professional social work education.
• It was founded in 1936 in the then Bombay Presidency of British India as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work by the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.
• In 1944, it was renamed as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
• In 1964, TISS was declared Deemed to be a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956.
• TISS's academic programs focus on the Social Sciences and offer doctoral degrees in Management and Labour Studies, Disaster Studies, Development Studies, Education, Gender Studies, Health Studies, Law, Media and Cultural Studies, Public Policy, Rural Development and Social Work. 
• Since its inception, TISS has had a focus on field activities, including in responding to disasters such as the Partition of India, the Bhopal disaster and Uttarakhand floods.

Q1: What is the University Grants Commission Act (UGC)?

The University Grants Commission (UGC) came into existence on 28th December, 1953 and became a statutory Organization of the Government of India by an Act of Parliament in 1956, for the coordination,determination and maintenance of standards of teaching, examination and research in university education.

Source: Selection Committee to interview 10 shortlisted candidates for TISS Vice-Chancellor post