New Delhi, Oct 9 (PTI) Students of the History Department of Delhi University on Friday held a protest against the alleged reduction of courses in the department and demanded restoration of all papers proposed by the faculty.
Hundreds of students gathered at the department and alleged that while 43 papers had been proposed for teaching, the university administration had permitted only 23.
The students claimed that the reduction had restricted their academic choices, particularly in areas such as caste, gender, tribal histories, labour and medieval Indian history. They also alleged that the decision was taken through a process that lacked transparency and did not adequately involve history faculty members.
Addressing the protest, former Head of the History Department Prabhu Mohapatra said teachers were being prevented from teaching in their areas of specialisation despite having relevant research expertise.
History professor and Academic Council member Maya John alleged that even the Head of the Department was not permitted to speak in Academic Council meetings. She also claimed that the expert committee examining the courses did not comprise history professors.
Another history professor and Academic Council member, Jitendra Meena, alleged that the developments reflected a wider pattern of ideological intervention in higher education. He referred to a recent PMO notification listing certain books, including B R Ambedkar’s “Annihilation of Caste” and works by Sharmila Rege, as not to be taught in universities.
The students demanded restoration of all 43 proposed papers, an end to arbitrary course deletions, protection of the department’s academic autonomy and a transparent decision-making process that respects teachers’ expertise.
They also sought adequate classrooms, infrastructure and academic resources in view of rising student enrolment under the four-year undergraduate programme.
“The reduction from 43 proposed papers to 23 is not merely a curricular issue. It directly affects the quality of education, students’ intellectual freedom and the future of historical scholarship,” the students said in a statement. PTI AHD AHD MDO
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