Censorship – Academia

A Delhi University panel’s decision to drop proposed postgraduate Political Science papers on Islam, Pakistan, and China has failed to find consensus among the members.

While some called it ideological censorship, those who supported the decision termed it a step towards making the syllabus “India-centric” and free from bias.

In its meeting on Wednesday, DU’s Standing Committee for Academic Matters directed the removal of four elective papers — Islam and International Relations, Pakistan and the World, China’s Role in the Contemporary World, and State and Society in Pakistan. A fifth paper, Religious Nationalism and Political Violence, will be reviewed in the next meeting on July 1.

Opposing the decision, committee member Professor Monami Sinha said such changes undermine critical thinking and reflect a push to dilute controversial but academically relevant content.