Mumbai: After abruptly postponing its 86th Convocation Ceremony just two days before the scheduled event, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has announced that the ceremony will now be held on August 22, 2026. The institute has also assured students that it will reimburse genuine travel expenses incurred due to the sudden cancellation.
The convocation was originally scheduled for August 2, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant invited as the chief guest and Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Ravindra Ghuge as the guest of honour. However, for the rescheduled ceremony, the chief guest has not yet been finalised.
A TISS official said the institute is awaiting confirmation from the prospective chief guest and that a final decision is expected in the coming days. According to the official, announcing the new date was important to ease anxiety among graduating students who had been left uncertain after the postponement.
Travel reimbursement for students
Following criticism from students over the financial losses caused by the last-minute cancellation, TISS has now also initiated a reimbursement process.
According to a Times of India report, the institute, in an email, directed its administrative secretariat to collect reimbursement claims for travel undertaken between July 31 and August 3.
Students have been asked to submit the following documents by August 10:
Original flight or train tickets.
Boarding passes (both sides) for air travel.
Original cancelled tickets, where applicable.
A no-dues certificate.
A covering note mentioning the student's name.
The administration clarified that all genuine claims will be reimbursed.
Additional relief measures
Apart from reimbursing travel expenses, TISS said it has extended other relief measures to affected students.
According to institute officials:
Charges for students and parents staying in the TISS guesthouse during the convocation period have been waived.
Provisional degree certificates have been made available for graduates who require them immediately.
Why was the convocation postponed?
In an email sent to students shortly after midnight on July 31, TISS informed graduates that the August 2 convocation was being postponed due to "uncertain circumstances."
The institute later explained that it had assessed that the ceremony could not be conducted in a conducive environment and that proceeding as planned could have affected the safety and well-being of students, faculty, staff, dignitaries, guests, and overall campus life.
In its communication, TISS stated, "The institute assessed that the ceremony could not be held in a conducive environment and that proceeding as scheduled could have affected the well-being of students, faculty, staff, dignitaries, guests, and campus life."
It further added that postponing the ceremony was a difficult but necessary decision taken in the long-term interest of the institution while assuring students that fresh dates would be announced.
While the institute officially cited "uncertain circumstances" and safety concerns, reports suggested that the decision came amid concerns over possible protests linked to the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) movement because of the presence of senior judicial dignitaries. However, TISS has not officially confirmed this as the reason for the postponement.
With the convocation now scheduled for August 22, TISS hopes to conclude the delayed ceremony while addressing students' concerns through reimbursement and other support measures.
