Notes and Statements on the 25th June Standing Committee Meeting

25 June 2025 | Delhi University

During the discussion of the Geography PG syllabus for the DSE course “Territorial Bases of Politics in India” (Semester 1), Unit 3 – Internal Conflicts and Problems of Nation Building – was asked to be removed and reworked. The Chair instructed the removal of the section on religious conflict, and Reading 6 – Brass, P. R. (2003). The Production of Hindu-Muslim Violence in Contemporary India – was also asked to be removed.

The Social Geography DSE course (Semester 2) was also asked to be revised. The Chair particularly objected to the topic “Distribution of SC Population” in Unit 4, stating that caste-related topics that are considered controversial should be de-emphasised. The DSE course on Vulnerability and Disaster was asked to be removed.

In the Sociology PG syllabus, for DSC 1: Introduction to Sociological Theory, it was suggested that Indian theorists be included, and a question was raised as to why the syllabus only highlighted Marx, Weber, and Durkheim.

It was also suggested that joint family be included. Since same-sex marriages are not legalised in India, objection was raised to the reading in Unit III: Weston, K. (1997). Families We Choose: Lesbians, Gays, Kinship.

For DSC 3: Sociology of Religion, the Chair felt that the syllabus was unnecessarily controversial and biased, particularly in Unit IV: Religious Authority and Organizations, which includes:

a. Prophet, Priest, and Guru

b. Church, Sect, Cult, and Movements.

The Chair insisted that rishi-muni be included and questioned why only "church" was mentioned and not other places of worship. The Head attempted to explain that “Prophet, Priest, and Guru” are academic categories and do not represent any particular religion. Similarly, it was clarified that “church, sect, cult” are academic phrases used in sociology to refer to types of organised religion, and are not specific to Christianity. However, the Chair remained unconvinced and stated that the syllabus was attributing religious authority to only one tradition. Despite being informed that in sociology, everyday terms may carry different academic meanings, Unit IV was asked to be revisited.

In DSE 6: Urban Sociology, Unit 2 was said to place too much emphasis on violence; three readings were asked to be removed. In Unit 3, Readings 2 and 4 were asked to be removed:

Neja, R.M. (2015). The Muharram Procession of Mumbai: From Seafront to Cemetery

Narayanan, Y. (2023). Animating Caste: Visceral Geographies of Pigs, Caste and Violent Nationalisms in Chennai City

Lee, J. (2021). Deceptive Majority: Dalits, Hinduism, and Underground Religion – was also asked to be removed.

The Political Science PG syllabus came under significant scrutiny.

The following courses were dropped and asked to be revamped:

DSE 29: Pakistan and the World

DSE 31: China’s Role in the Contemporary World

DSE 33: Islam and International Relations

DSE 35: Pakistan: State and Society

DSE 52: Religious Nationalism and Political Violence

NDTF members strongly objected to readings such as:

Blom Hansen, T. (1996). Recuperating Masculinity: Hindu Nationalism, Violence, and the Exorcism of the Muslim ‘Other’. Critique of Anthropology, 16(2), 137–172, and

Sangha politics, civil warfare and the peace process in Unit 3 of DSE 52.

All of the above courses were dropped and asked to be changed, despite opposition from myself and several other members of the Standing Committee. We argued that it is imperative to study Pakistan in detail because, pedagogically, we need to train our students and foster scholarship on Pakistan, as it remains one of India's constant foreign policy challenges. Not having adequate knowledge of our geopolitical adversaries may leave us at a strategic disadvantage. Likewise, studying China is critical in a rapidly changing, multipolar world where China is likely to lead many Global South nations. Ignoring this reality would be academically short-sighted.

However, the courses were removed. New, revamped syllabi will be discussed at the next Standing Committee meeting scheduled for 1st July 2025.

Dr. Monami Sinha

Member, Academic Council

Member Standing Committee

Associate Professor

KNC

The Standing Committee's direction to the Departments of Geography and Sociology to change their syllabi defies academic rationale and is an act of overreach. While the Standing Committee can share inputs and feedback with the departments, it cannot direct the departments to remove papers and readings without giving academic justifications. Moreover the departments have the expertise in their respective disciplines to decide on the course contents which should come through the Committee of Courses. It is unfortunate that the Standing Committee has not followed the protocol required in academic decisions and syllabus making: and has succumbed to extraneous considerations which are inimical to the teaching - learning process.

The University administration of DU has forgotten the fact that the University space is meant for a ruthless and dispassionate debate to foster critical thinking; it is not meant to produce conformist, mediocre minds which can only lead to the cult of hero worship. Instead of cancelling uncomfortable questions, one needs to always engage even with the perceived 'other' to equip oneself with the intellectual wherewithal to tackle the 'other' in the new global geopolitical order.

Time and again the current DU administration has acted against the quality and rigour of courses: and the today's meeting of the Standing Committee is an illustration of the same.

Rudrashish Chakraborty,

Associate Professor,

Department of English,

Kirori Mal College.

Elected Member,

DUTA Executive, 2023 - 25.