The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) is a premier institute of Social Work in India. It was established in 1936 and was recognized as a Deemed University by the University Grant Commission (UGC) of India in the year 1964 and as a result, diversified its activities. Since its inception the Tata Institute of Social Sciences has never limited itself to the mandate of a conventional university rather, it has worked for the promotion of sustainable, equitable and participatory development, social welfare and social justice through value-based professional education for social work and other human service professions, Social research and dissemination of socially relevant knowledge, Social intervention through training and field action projects, Contribution to social and welfare policy and Programme formulation at state, national and international levels and Professional response to national calamities, through relief, rehabilitation and disaster management.
In December 2011, Tata Institute of Social Sciences set up the School of Vocational Education (SVE). It aims to provide immediate and definite interventions to improve the lives of the disadvantaged and marginalized youth, especially those who are excluded by the formal school education system, through appropriate vocational training programmes. The training programs are inclusive in nature and structured in a way to facilitate vertical movement of the organized and unorganized labor. It facilitates the participation of women, children, the PWD and other vulnerable groups. Therefore, SVE has been set up with a vision of creating an ecosystem that would bring back the dignity of labor for blue collar streams of work and create sustainable sources of income for the marginalized youth in the country.
The project has been initiated under the aegis of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Ministry of HRD, Government of India. TISS-SVE has received seed grant from AICTE for incubating National Vocational University.
The approach adopted by TISS-SVE is called the Work Integrated Training Programme (WIPT). This Vocational Educational Programme is being implemented for the first time in India with a focus on Job specific skills rather than providing only a broad based education. The aim is to enable the student to learn the skill by engaging in on job-training at real shop floor of the industry/company along with classroom theoretical training.
The TISS is a Government of India Institution and has earned recognition as an Institution of repute from different Ministries of the Government of India, various State Governments, international agencies such as the United Nations, and the non-government sector, both national and international. This is due to the academic freedom leading to a positive work ethos and creativity in the Institute, strong linkages among education, research, field action and dissemination and the social commitment and responsiveness to varying social needs.