TISS Question Paper PDF

Can you provide me previous year TISS (TATA Institute of Social Sciences) MA in Social Work Question paper as I need it for preparation of my final exams?

[Kiran Chandar]

The previous year TISS (TATA Institute of Social Sciences) MA in Social Work Question paper is as follows:

QUESTION NO. 1

Mr. Mehta is an eighty year old widower residing with his only son and daughter-in-law in an urban middle class locality of a city. With age there has been an onset of arthritis which affects mobility and at times causes acute pain in his joints. Although not bedridden, Mr. Mehta can only manage to move around the house and take care of his basic routine requirements. Having served in a private company as the head of the accountancy department, he gets a pension of Rs. 6000/- per month. Both the son and the daughter-in-law work in a multinational firm and have long work hours. They also have a two year old son, who is looked after in the day care of the housing society from 8 am to 8 pm and is picked up by either of the parents on their way home.Mr. Mehta spends the entire day by himself and goes out to the nearby park in the evenings where he interacts with a few people of his age group. However that does not address his problem of loneliness adequately. Further, after having worked for long hours, the son and daughter-in-law prefer to spend some time by themselves or with their son. On weekends, there are numerous household chores that have to be completed which give very minimal family time together. Mr. Mehta has several times suggested having a governess for the young child so that care giving can happen at home. Further, he could also spend some time with the child so as to be more meaningfully engaged. The son and daughter-in-law however feel that getting a reliable governess would be a difficulty particularly in the current scenario. Taking care of both, the elderly Mr. Mehta and the child would further make the situation more complex. The daughter-in-law particularly feels that the current arrangement is convenient and Mr. Mehta should find means to occupy himself such as joining an elderly group engaged in some interesting activity. Today the son informed that he was considering an international posting assignment and wanted to know what Mr Mehta would like to do?

Based on the above caselet answer the following question.

Q. Write a short note highlighting the social problems emerging from the case. (250 words)

QUESTION NO. 2

Tasnim a 17 year old girl comes from a conservative family. Living in an urban slum from her childhood, She lost her father in an accident when she was five years old. Her mother was not able to cope up with her father’s death and developed a mental health problem. Tasnim and her three other siblings were then living together with their relatives. Due to poor economic conditions and being dependent on her relatives, Tasnim started working in a zari- factory from the age of six. Tasnim’s mother, due to her mental illness, would often run-away from home and would live on the streets. Her relatives were not ready to take care of her mother. She would often go on the streets and spend some time with her mother. Tasnim’s earnings were controlled by her relatives. She would work continuously for 15-16 hours in the factory. Tasnim’s uncle was an alcoholic and would often physically hit her and her siblings for small reasons. When she was 15, he forcefully married her elder sister off to an older man. Tasnim was scared with this incident. Her uncle then started putting more restrictions on her and she was not even allowed to meet her mother. Tasnim was frustrated with this attitude and behavior. In a fit of anger she ran away from home. Tasnim was not clear where she wanted to go, all she had in her mind was to be far away from her family where they will not be able to trace her. She boarded a train to Mumbai and reached one of the main stations. She slept in the waiting hall for one night, during this period she came in contact with a local girl at the station who helped with food and some basic necessities and shared that if she wishes to survive in this city alone she will have to disguise herself as a boy or she will be vulnerable to sexual exploitation. For Tasnim, this was another new world. Based on the above caselet answer the following questions.


1. List the problems you consider important in the above situation. (50 words)

2. Explain your understanding of the problems you have identified. (50 words)

3. What would you do in a situation like this and why? (50 words)

4. What do you believe should be done to bring about change in situations like this? (50 words)

QUESTION NO. 3
Sunita is a 13 year old Adivasi girl from a tea garden in Jalpaiguri district of West
Bengal. The tea garden where Sunita’s mother worked as a labourer has been closed for
the past one year. The family has been struggling with limited resources and barely able
to sustain themselves. Sunita’s father died four years back. He fought an unsuccessful
battle with cancer. Sunita’s two younger brothers Chhotka and Hari were too young to be
left alone while her mother went out to work in the quarry. So Sunita stopped going to
school to take care of her younger siblings and would keep looking for odd jobs to help
with the family situation. A distant Mama (maternal uncle) of Sunita visits the family and tells her mother that in recent months, the cases of kidnapping of young girls has increased and gives a few examples. Sunita’s uncle also adds that since Sunita has now grown up, she is also
vulnerable. He then informs Sunita’s mother that he has found a groom in Haryana who has 20 acres of land and is very rich. And that he would take care of Sunita well. Moreover, he tells
her that the person is not asking for any dowry. Instead, he will only pay for the marriage
expenses. Sunita’s mother accepts this offer happily. The marriage is fixed for the next week in a
nearby temple. Based on the above caselet answer the following questions. 1. List the problems you consider important in the above situation. (50 words)

Based on the above caselet answer the following questions.

1. List the problems you consider important in the above situation. (50 words)

2. Explain your understanding of the problems you have identified. (50 words)

3. What would you do in a situation like this and why? (50 words)

4. What do you believe should be done to bring about change in situations like this? (50 words)