Re-imagining Futures Through Skill Education

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) was established in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work. In 1944, it was renamed the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. The year 1964 was an important landmark in the history of the Institute, when it was declared Deemed to be a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956. Since its inception, TISS has remained committed to its vision of being an institution of excellence in higher education that continually responds to changing social realities through the development and application of knowledge, with the aim of creating a people-centred, ecologically sustainable, and just society that upholds and promotes dignity, equality, social justice, and human rights for all.

The School of Skill Education (SSE) was established in 2011 to spearhead the Institute's commitment to providing specialised skill-based education and training to millions of youth in India through appropriately designed, industry-relevant and market-oriented skill education programmes.

TISS SSE's industry-academia blended, work-integrated skill training programmes are designed to develop job-specific skills while complementing traditional education. Each programme reflects India's commitment to equipping its youth with essential skills through a contemporary, industry-relevant curriculum developed in collaboration with industry partners to meet the growing demand for a “skilled” workforce. All the programmes incorporate skill sector-specific job roles and their corresponding National Occupational Standards (NOS).

The curriculum is an integration of general education and job-specific knowledge and skills delivered through a blend of taught classes (40%) and practical skill training (60%) - a hallmark of TISS SSE's holistic skilling pedagogy. The on-the-job training (OJT) is conducted on the real shop floor of industries and companies within the respective skill sectors.

The TISS SSE model is an industry-academia aligned, work-integrated higher education model that blends academic learning with structured skill training in real workplace environments. TISS SSE is solely responsible for curriculum and content design, academic governance, faculty engagement, admissions, examinations, assessment, certification, quality assurance, ERP-based monitoring, and compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements. Industry partners facilitate practical workplace exposure through internships, apprenticeships, and On-the-Job Training (OJT), ensuring that students acquire competencies aligned with National Occupational Standards (NOS) and current industry requirements. This integrated model bridges the gap between higher education and employability while maintaining the academic standards of a university.