Jammu University panel urges removal of Jinnah, Iqbal from curriculum

Following ABVP protests, a Jammu University committee recommended removing topics on Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Syed Ahmad Khan, and Mohammad Iqbal from the Political Science syllabus. The Board of Studies will take the final decision on the matter.

University Panel Recommends Syllabus Change

The Department Affairs Committee of the University of Jammu on Sunday recommended the removal of topics concerning former Pakistan Governor-General Muhammad Ali Jinnah from the curriculum of political sciences, following protests by the ABVP, a press note stated.

According to the press note, the committee also recommended the removal of topics related to Aligarh Muslim University founder Syed Ahmad Khan and Pakistani poet Mohammad Iqbal. The Board of Studies will decide on the recommendations at its meeting on March 24.

Decision Follows ABVP Protest

Jammu University said, "The Faculty/Departmental Affairs Committee (DAC) meeting was held on March 22 at 12:00 noon in the office of the Head of the Department to deliberate upon certain issues raised concerning the syllabi of the One-Year and Two-Year MA Programmes in Political Science as per the guidelines of NEP-2020."

"After a thorough consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to recommend the removal of topics concerning Mohd. Ali Jinnah, Syed Ahmad Khan and Mohd. Iqbal from the course content of PIPSTC 102 of the One-Year Postgraduate Programme and the course content of P2PSTC 302 of the Two-Year Postgraduate Programme in Political Science to the Board of Studies for its consideration. The meeting of BOS is scheduled on March 24 at 11:30 AM through online mode to further deliberate on the matter," the press note read.

This came after a protest by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Saturday against the inclusion of Mohammad Ali Jinnah in the curriculum of Jammu University.

"ABVP Jammu University protests against the inclusion of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the Political Science syllabus under 'Minorities and the Nation.' We demand an immediate rollback. Academic freedom cannot ignore national sentiments and historical integrity," ABVP Jammu and Kashmir wrote on X.

Jinnah and the Partition of India

Muslim League leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the first Governor-General and is regarded as the founder of Pakistan. The Muslim League, adopting the Pakistan resolution in the Lahore session, later in 1947, led to the partition of India upon independence. (ANI)

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