An assistant professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) tendered his resignation one day following a student’s sexual harassment complaint lodged against him on February 20. The student alleged that he exhibited toxic behavior on campus, along with harassment and intimidation. According to a TISS official, the assistant professor stated in his resignation that he wished to concentrate on his research, despite the internal complaints committee having already initiated an investigation into the allegations made against him. As a contractual staff member, he was not required to complete any formal resignation procedures. Additionally, TISS has issued a directive prohibiting the assistant professor from accessing its campuses while the inquiry is ongoing, as confirmed by the official. The student has accused the assistant professor of toxic behavior, sexual harassment, and intimidation. The assistant professor’s resignation came shortly after the student submitted her complaint to the internal complaints committee on February 20, as reported by a TISS official. The internal complaints committee has already convened once and is expected to summon both the assistant professor and the complainant for hearings, during which they will be asked to present their evidence. The committee will conduct its inquiry independently of the professor’s resignation, and actions will be determined based on the findings of the inquiry, the TISS official stated.
On February 20, the student submitted a complaint letter to the presiding officer of the internal complaints committee. In her correspondence, the complainant expressed concerns regarding the assistant professor’s intimidating demeanor on campus, alleging consistent misconduct towards female students and issues related to administrative mismanagement. She noted that while he had initially been supportive, he later made personal comments and posed questions such as “Are you single?” The letter further detailed that he persisted in making inappropriate remarks towards her and other female students, despite her evident discomfort in discussing her personal matters. Additionally, the complainant alleged that the assistant professor attempted to enter her apartment on one occasion and issued threats to discourage her from voicing her concerns. The complainant stated that these experiences had severely impacted her mental health, rendering her unable to concentrate on her studies. Consequently, she requested the immediate suspension of the assistant professor, a thorough investigation into his conduct, and a comprehensive inquiry into the allegedly toxic environment at TISS attributed to him. She also urged the authorities to implement measures to ensure the safety of female students on campus and to establish an anonymous grievance redressal system that would allow students to report harassment without fear of retaliation. Furthermore, the complainant called for mental health support for victims of harassment and bullying. A separate complaint letter was also directed to the chancellor of TISS.
