After nearly two years without a permanent leader, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has appointed Badri Narayan Tiwari as its new Vice-Chancellor. The Ministry of Education approved the appointment, marking a significant step for the institution. Professor Tiwari, a social historian and cultural anthropologist, previously served as the director of the Govind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute, Prayagraj. He will hold the position for five years, or until further notice.
The appointment comes after Professor Shalini Bharat, the previous Vice-Chancellor, retired in September 2023, after completing her five-year term. Since then, the post remained vacant, with Professor Manoj Tiwari, Director of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Mumbai, serving as the acting Vice-Chancellor. Professor Manoj Tiwari took on the additional responsibilities in September 2023.
Several factors contributed to the delay in appointing a full-time Vice-Chancellor. The University Grants Commission (UGC) rules stipulate that the central government will appoint the heads of deemed-to-be universities that receive more than 50% of their funding from the government. With TISS falling under this category, the appointment process came under the purview of the Ministry of Education. The selection process involved shortlisting candidates and conducting interviews. As many as 127 individuals applied for the position, with the selection committee eventually interviewing 10 shortlisted candidates.
Professor Badri Narayan Tiwari's appointment marks a new chapter for TISS as it is the first appointment made under the Ministry of Education's new regulations. Previously, the director was selected by a governing body appointed by the Tata Trust. The Tata Trust is no longer the primary authority in Vice-Chancellor appointments. The governing council at TISS has been replaced by an executive council, with the government-appointed Vice-Chancellor serving as its chairperson.
Professor Tiwari is an alumnus of the University of Allahabad, where he earned his M.A. in Modern History and his Ph.D. He has been a Fellow at the University of Cambridge and a Senior Fulbright Fellow. His expertise lies in social history, cultural anthropology, and Dalit studies. He has also authored books, including "Fascinating Hindutva: Saffron Politics and Dalit Mobilisation," "Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India," and "Kanshiram: Leader of the Dalits". Before this appointment, Professor Tiwari established a Kumbh study center and an ethnographic museum. He was also associated with Jawaharlal Nehru University's Centre for the Study of Discrimination and Exclusion.
During his time as acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Manoj Tiwari is credited with strengthening the institute's foundations. He ensured the drafting of a long-pending Memorandum of Agreement, which provided a more stable administrative framework. He also spearheaded an accreditation drive across departments, leading to an improvement in the institute's national ranking. Furthermore, he disbursed ₹14 crore in arrears, some of which had been pending for years.
TISS has faced some challenges in recent times. In 2025, the institute removed its Pro VC for alleged financial misappropriation after receiving a complaint from the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). TISS also announced that the Pro VC position would no longer be necessary. There have also been reports of administrative delays and controversies related to staff terminations due to a lack of funding.
