A panel of Delhi University has not been able to have a consensus among the members over the decision to remove the proposed postgraduate political science paper on Islam, Pakistan and China. While some people called it an ideological censorship, those who supported the decision called it a step towards making it a “Indo-centric” and prejudice.
In its meeting on Wednesday, DU’s Academic Affairs Standing Committee directed to remove four alternative papers – Islam and International Relations, Pakistan and World, Role of China in the contemporary world, and state and society in Pakistan. The fifth paper, religious nationalism and political violence will be reviewed in the next meeting to be held on July 1.
Opposing the decision, Committee member Professor Monami Sinha said that such changes weaken critical thinking and showcase the attempt to weaken the controversial but academically relevant content.
“We argued that it is necessary to study Pakistan and China in detail. Ignoring these geopolitical realities would be academically short-sighted,” he said in a statement.
He also expressed concern over the removal of caste, communal violence and references to homosexual relations from the revised course of sociology and geography.
However, the committee member Professor Harendra Tiwari supported the changes and described the syllabus as a “agenda-operated” and a lack of balance.
He told PTI, “Why only paper on Islam and international relations? Why not on Hinduism or Sikhism? We want a course that serves students and our nation.”
He said that the removed papers would not be restored until the revised course “is the” India-first “perspective. Further discussion on the syllabus is expected to be further discussed in the next meeting of the committee to be held on 1 July.