Established in 1936, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, is the oldest institute for professional social work education and an institution of excellence. It was established as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work. Later, in 1944, it was renamed as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. In 1964, TISS was declared Deemed to be a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956.  Since its inception, the Vision of the TISS has been to be an institution of excellence in higher education that continually responds to changing social realities through the development and application of knowledge, towards creating a people-centred, ecologically sustainable and just society that promotes and protects dignity, equality, social justice and human rights for all. Apart from the Mumbai campus, Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) has campuses at Guwahati, Hyderabad and Tuljapur. 

TISS is a highly ranked institute and is ranked #58 in NIRF Ranking 2024 among top 200 Universities of India. TISS offers low fee M.A. programs with 100% placements with high salary packages. Its M.A. HRM & LR program is one of the most sought after management programs and is at par with IIMs, XLRI and other top B-schools. While the total program fee is only Rs.185,000, average and highest package in TISS Placements 2024 have gone up at Rs.25.28 LPA and Rs.49 LPA respectively. Top recruiters included Accenture, Aditya Birla Group, Asian Paints, Flipkart, Kotak Mahindra Bank among others.

Admissions to the following PG program (2025) will be based on CAT 2024 scores.

The Master of Arts in Human Resource Management & Labour Relations (HRM & LR) programme (formerly known as M.A. in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations) is designed to develop students into professionally competent and socially sensitive management graduates, fully equipped to take on the challenges of the corporate world. The programme explores the critical areas of contemporary human resources management, in conjunction with a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the key functions of management
and business.

1. Master of Arts in Organisation Development, Change and Leadership
2. Master of Hospital Administration

The Master of Arts (Human Resource Management & Labour Relations) (HRM & LR) program at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai—formerly known as the M.A. in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations—is crafted to shape students into highly skilled and socially aware management professionals, well-prepared to tackle corporate challenges. This program delves into crucial areas of modern human resources management, alongside providing a solid foundation in key management and business functions.

The primary objectives of this M.A. program are to: sensitize students to the social, political, economic, and ecological contexts of society; develop students into effective business leaders and decision-makers who contribute to organizational success; encourage systems thinking to creatively address both individual and organizational challenges; foster a global outlook to meet international demands; and instill core values of intellectual integrity, justice, and fairness.

The admission process for the TISS Mumbai M.A. programs involves several key steps, outlined as follows:

1. Application Submission: Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline recognized by the UGC, with a minimum score of 50%. Eligible candidates can submit their applications online for M.A. admission at TISS Mumbai.

2. Entrance Exams: To gain admission to select M.A. programs at TISS—specifically M.A. in Human Resource Management & Labour Relations (HRM & LR), M.A. in Organisation Development, Change and Leadership (ODCL), and the Master of Hospital Administration—applicants are required to take the CAT 2024 exam, conducted by the IIMs. For other M.A. programs, TISS will continue to accept scores from the CUET PG, administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

3. Shortlisting for GD-PI: Candidates will be shortlisted for the Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds based on their CAT 2024 scores.

4. Personal Interview and Assessment: During the Personal Interview round, candidates will be evaluated on their written, verbal, and analytical skills.

5. Final Selection: Admission decisions are based on a composite assessment that includes CAT 2024 scores, academic background, relevant work experience, and performance in the GD and PI rounds.

TISS has consistently achieved a 100% placement record. In the 2024 placements, the institute reported an average package of INR 25.28 LPA and the highest package of INR 49 LPA. Leading recruiters included top names such as Accenture, Aditya Birla Group, Asian Paints, Flipkart, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Adani Group, ITC, JSW, Piramal Group, Reliance, RPG, TAS Consulting, Accenture Strategy, Deloitte India, Deloitte USI, and more.

E-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart, energy sector leaders such as HPCL and Power Grid, and technology firms including ACT Fibernet, Google, Intel, and Samsung India (R&D) also participated in the placements. In the FMCG/FMCD sector, major recruiters included Colgate-Palmolive, General Mills, HUL, Marico, MARS, Nestlé, Nivea, P&G, and Reckitt. In healthcare and pharmaceuticals, companies like Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, GE Healthcare, and UnitedHealth Group were among the top recruiters, along with firms like Disney Star and Tata Steel in other sectors.

Out of a total of 78 students, 66 received offers with salaries of INR 20 LPA or above in 2024. FMCG and FMCD emerged as the leading recruiting sectors during this placement season.

In the 2023 placements for M.A. in HRM & LR, TISS Mumbai achieved the highest package of INR 49 LPA and an average package of INR 27.22 LPA.

Shortlisting for Online Assessment (OA)

1. M.A. in HRM & LR and M.A. in ODCL

   • Weightage: The CAT score accounts for 95% of the total score, with an additional 5% allocated for gender diversity (providing 5 extra marks for female and transgender candidates).
   • Minimum CAT Percentile Cut-offs:
     • General/KM/AF/EWS: VARC - 60, DILR - 60, QA - 60, Overall - 70
     • NC-OBC: VARC - 54, DILR - 54, QA - 54, Overall - 63
     • SC/ST: VARC - 45, DILR - 45, QA - 45, Overall - 55

2. M.A. in Hospital Administration (MHA)

   • Weightage: The CAT score holds 90% weightage, with 5% each for gender diversity and academic diversity.
   • Minimum CAT Percentile Cut-offs:
     • General/KM/AF/EWS: VARC - 60, DILR - 60, QA - 60, Overall - 65
     • NC-OBC: VARC - 54, DILR - 54, QA - 54, Overall - 59
     • SC/ST: VARC - 43, DILR - 43, QA - 43, Overall - 48

B. Criteria for Final Merit List

1. For M.A. HRM & LR and M.A. ODCL

   • Weightage:
     • CAT Score: 70%
     • Graduation Marks: 10%
     • Online Interview: 20%

2. For M.A. in Hospital Administration (MHA)

   • Weightage:
     • CAT Score: 80%
     • Online Assessment: 20% (including ERT - 10% and OPI - 10%)

TISS is a highly-ranked institute and is ranked #58 in the NIRF Ranking 2024 among the top 200 Universities in India. 

APPLYING for GoI-PMS and other Scholarships

1. The SC, ST, OBC (NC), PWD and Minority candidates intending to apply for admission in any campus of TISS are advised first to check with their respective state government authorities whether or not they are eligible for GoI-PMS, especially if their choice of TISS campus is located outside their state of domicile. In case a student is found ineligible for the scholarship, or his/her government does not give scholarship to those students admitted to university/institution located outside their domicile state, they have to make their own arrangements to meet not only their admission and other mandated fees, but also other fees such as hostel and dining hall charges.

Eligibility for Post Matric scholarship:

Although there are specific criteria for each scholarship/fellowship available, there are also common criteria applicable to almost all scholarships. These include the following:

1. At the time of applying for the scholarship, the applicant must be a bonafied/registered student in any one of the TISS campuses.
2. The student must be belonging to either SC or ST or OBC (NC) category, with a valid certificate for the same.
3. At the time of applying for the GoI-PMS, the annual income of the SC/ST student (if employed) and his/her parents for the immediate previous financial year should be within the prescribed income limit (refer Table A).
4. The scholarship applicant, SC/ST/OBC(NC)/PWD, must submit a valid income certificate issued for the immediate previous Financial Year by the competent authority. 

Components of Post Matric scholarship:

The PMS consists of maintenance allowance to the students, reimbursement of non-refundable compulsory fee charged by educational institutions, Book Bank facility, and other allowances as follows:

a) Maintenance allowance amounting to Rs. 380/- to 1200/- per month for hostellers and Rs. 230/- to Rs. 550/- per month for day scholar for 10 months in a year

(b) Reimbursement of compulsory non-refundable fees

(c) Study tour charges up to Rs. 1600

(d) Thesis typing/printing charges for Research Scholars up to Rs. 1600

(e) Book allowance amounting to Rs. 1200 for students pursuing correspondence courses

(f) Book bank facility for specified courses ranging from Rs. 2400 to Rs. 7500

(g) Additional allowance for students with disabilities, for the complete duration of the course. (Annual Report, 2018-19, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment Government of India, p. 47).

For more details about various government scholarships and fellowships, refer the web links for scholarships/fellowship given in the Web links section below: 

Check Out: https://www.tiss.edu/view/6/SC/ST-And-EO-Cell/scholarships/