Help Me Submit My PhD Thesis – TISS Mumbai

My name is Wahid, and I am reaching out for help in completing my PhD at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.

My Story:

I am a full-time Bangladeshi student pursuing an Integrated MPhil-PhD program at the prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai, India. For years, I have dedicated my life to researching socio-cultural diversity, religious coexistence, and development in Bangladesh, driven by a dream to contribute meaningfully to academia and society. But today, I stand at the edge of an unimaginable crisis—one that threatens to shatter my dreams and leave my PhD incomplete despite being so close to the finish line.

My Journey and Financial Struggles

When I joined TISS, I believed I could fund my studies through personal effort. However, as a foreign student, working was not permitted, making it difficult to manage my expenses. Despite this, I persisted, carefully calculating my financial needs:

The Pandemic and Its Devastating Impact:

COVID-19 brought my life to a standstill. Travel bans prevented me from returning to India or conducting fieldwork, leaving me stranded and hopeless. Just as I thought things couldn’t get worse, new COVID variants emerged, prolonging the visa and travel bans.

When I finally resumed my PhD in late 2021 and completed my fieldwork in Bangladesh, I faced a heartbreaking financial setback. My institute informed me that my PhD registration had automatically transferred from my MPhil in July 2020—adding five extra semesters of fees that I had not anticipated. I pleaded with my institute for an installment plan, but due to policy restrictions, they denied my request.

Impact of Rupee Devaluation Against the Dollar

Another major challenge I am facing is the devaluation of the Indian Rupee (₹) against the US Dollar ($), which has significantly increased my financial burden. When I joined TISS in 2018, 1 USD was equal to ₹64, but now it has risen to over ₹83 per USD. This depreciation has unexpectedly increased my tuition and living expenses, making it even harder for me to manage my fees.

The Financial Struggle

When I began my program, I estimated the total cost to be around ₹11,00,000 (BDT 15 Lacs), including tuition fees (750 per semester for 10 semesters) and living expenses. When I joined TISS, I believed I could fund my studies through personal effort. However, as a foreign student, working was not permitted, making it difficult to manage my expenses. In addition to this, due to the pandemic, my PhD registration was backdated to 2020, adding 5 extra semesters of fees. This increased my total tuition fees to 11,250 (~₹9,78,750), and with living expenses, the total cost rose to ₹15,78,750 (BDT 16 Lacs). So far, I have managed to pay for 7 semesters (4.56 lacs) and cover ₹6 Lacs in living expenses through loans and personal efforts. I am also arranging money for 2 more semesters (1.3 Lacs) with the additional loan, but I am still short of ₹3,04,500 (around $3,500) for the remaining 5 semesters. Without this amount, my thesis which I have already completed will not be accepted.

Why I Am Seeking Your Support

I have no scholarship, no stipend, and no external funding. Every extra day in Mumbai increases my financial burden, making it even harder to focus on my final thesis revisions. I have already received valuable feedback from my Doctoral Advisory Committee and research panel, but I am struggling to make the necessary improvements while worrying about my fees.

Without urgent financial help, I will be forced to leave my PhD unfinished just steps away from submission.

How You Can Help

I am humbly appealing to friends, academics, well-wishers, and anyone who values education and research to support me in this final step. Your small contribution can make a big difference in ensuring that my years of dedication and struggle do not go in vain.

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