Exam question on 'Hindutva-Fascism': Sharda University issues showcause notice to faculty

'Do you find any similarities between Fascism/Nazism and Hindu right-wing (Hindutva)? Elaborate with arguments': this was a 7-mark question of the BA 1st year Political Science exam. The paper was set by Waqas Farooq Kuttay, an ad hoc assistant professor.

Published on: May 7, 2022, 18:54:33 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Poulomi Ghosh

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Sharda University on Saturday issued a show-cause notice to Waqas Farooq Kuttay, the faculty who set the Political Science (Honours) question of BA 1st year that asked students about 'Hindutva-Fascism'. The question carrying 7 marks asked: 'Do you find any similarities between Fascism/Nazism and Hindu right-wing (Hindutva)? Elaborate with arguments'. After the photo of the question paper went viral on social media, the university constituted a three-member committee of senior faculty members to "look into the possibility of bias in the questions". In a statement issued on Saturday, the university said the committee has found the question objectionable. For the evaluation purpose, the question may be ignored by the evaluators, the university said.

The Political Science question paper which went viral on social media.

The question paper went viral on social media after BJP's Vikash Preetam Sinha shared the photo and said the question paper was set by a Muslim teacher.

Taking cognisance of the social media backlash, Sharda University formed the committee. "Keeping in view the sensitivity involved, the university has constituted a committee comprising three senior faculty members to look into the matter in its entirety," the university said in a statement.

It was the question o the mid-term examination of Sharda University's Schools of Business Studies, School of Law, School of Humanities and Social Sciences under which the Department of Political Science falls. In the section, where the Hindutva question was asked, there was another question of seven marks: What are the core themes of Conservatism? Elaborate.

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