Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists stage a protest in opposition to the inclusion of a chapter on Muhammad Ali Jinnah within the postgraduate Political Science course at Jammu University, Jammu, on Friday (March 20, 2026).
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Jammu University’s move to contemplate dropping Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Indian educator Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and poet Mohammad Iqbal from the postgraduate programmes on Monday evoked sharp criticism from the National Conference (NC), which is the ruling get together in Jammu and Kashmir, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“After a thorough consideration, the committee [of Jammu University] unanimously resolved to recommend the removal of topics concerning Jinnah, Khan and Iqbal from the course content of the one-year postgraduate programme and two-year postgraduate programme in Political Science to the Board of Studies (BOS) for its consideration,” mentioned a discover issued by the Head of Department, Political Science.
This adopted protests by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Friday (March 20, 2026). They demanded {that a} chapter on Jinnah be dropped following which the college’s departmental affairs committee (DAC) chaired a gathering on Sunday (March 22) “to deliberate upon the issues raised concerning the syllabi”.
According o the discover, a contemporary assembly of BOS will probably be held on March 24 ”to additional deliberate on the matter”.
Both the NC and the PDP questioned and opposed the choice.
J&Okay Minister Javed Ahmed Rana, in a submit shared on X, mentioned such actions are opposite to the core values of upper schooling, which have to be grounded in essential pondering, inclusivity and engagement with various mental traditions.
By erasing such pivotal voices, he mentioned that Jammu University dangers transitioning from an area of essential pedagogy right into a platform that promotes ideological conformity. “Universities must serve as centres for nurturing inquisitive and informed citizens rather than promoting narrow or exclusionary narratives. The academic autonomy should be used to broaden intellectual engagement and encourage rigorous debate, not to enable selective reinterpretations of history,” the Minister added.
Mr. Rana mentioned instructional establishments should not turn into laboratories for historic revisionism pushed by ideological motives.
The Minister referred to as upon the college administration, tutorial our bodies and the broader civil society to replicate on the long-term implications of such choices and to uphold the sanctity of instructional establishments as areas for free thought, variety and scholarly excellence.
“The JU move reeks of pressure, not principle. A syllabus change triggered by protests, targeting thinkers under a paper titled ‘Minorities and the Nation’, and justified in the name of National Education Policy 2020. This is not academic reform, it’s capitulation,” mentioned NC legislator Tanvir Sadiq.
He mentioned all the data was a click on away on-line. “Such attempts to curate ‘acceptable history’ are not just ill-thought, they are futile and dangerous. You don’t strengthen national integrity by erasing debate. You weaken it,” he added.
PDP spokesperson Tazeem Dar termed the move as “deeply troubling and reflective of a narrow academic outlook”.
“Removing such towering intellectual figures from university syllabi amounts to diminishing the richness of South Asia’s intellectual and philosophical heritage. Figures like Iqbal and Sir Syed are not merely historical personalities; they represent enduring traditions of critical thought, reform, and intellectual awakening,” mentioned Mr. Dar.
The PDP mentioned universities in J&Okay “must remain inclusive platforms that expose students to diverse schools of thought rather than restricting intellectual engagement through selective omissions”.
“Such steps risk weakening the spirit of inquiry and debate that forms the backbone of any vibrant academic institution,” mentioned Mr. Dar. He referred to as upon academicians, civil society, and stakeholders “to safeguard the sanctity of educational institutions and ensure that they continue to foster critical thinking, pluralism, and open dialogue”.
Published – March 23, 2026 08:57 pm IST
