A faculty member of the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University has been suspended, with an inquiry committee formed on Tuesday to look into a “provocative” exam question set by the professor.
The question had been included in the first semester examination paper for the Department of Social Work, an official aware of the matter told HT.
Following this, the professor responsible for the setting of the question paper was placed under suspension pending the inquiry, the official said, according to an earlier HT report.
Why was the professor suspended over an exam question?
The question, which led to the suspension of the professor, had appeared in the BA (Hons) Social Work exam on Social Problems in India.
“The question dealt with atrocities against a particular community,” the official said. The question paper, also seen by HT, included the question - “Discuss the atrocities against Muslim minorities in India giving suitable examples.” The university has not yet confirmed the details of the particular question.
The question paper had been set by Prof. Virendra Balaji Shahare of the Department of Social Work, PTI news agency reported.
{{/usCountry}}The question paper had been set by Prof. Virendra Balaji Shahare of the Department of Social Work, PTI news agency reported.
{{/usCountry}}It drew criticism on social media, following which an enquiry committee was formed and the professor suspended. The official said the university is committed to ensuring accountability, adding that they had responded quickly “because we take these matters very seriously.”
According to the suspension order, the professor's headquarters will remain in New Delhi, and he would not be allowed to leave without prior approval of a competent authority, PTI reported.
ABVP alleges ‘ideological imbalance’
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), while raising objection to the question, said it suggested an “ideological imbalance.”
The Delhi state secretary of the RSS-affiliated student organisation, Sarthak Sharma, said the framing of the question had presented society from a narrow perspective, according to the PTI report.
“This is not merely an academic lapse but it also points to an ideological imbalance,” Sharma said. The ABVP further claimed the question was in contradiction to academic neutrality, and said it was against the inclusive character of the Indian society.