Delhi University Axes Pakistan, China & Islam Papers from Political Science PG Syllabus, Faculty Raise Objections

Delhi University Axes Pakistan, China & Islam Papers: Delhi University may drop courses on Pakistan, China, Islam, and political violence from its MA Political Science syllabus, with the university’s syllabus panel recommending the removal of several electives, faculty members alleged.

This has sparked backlash from faculty members, who call the move politically driven.

The university’s Standing Committee on Academic Matters met on Tuesday to review syllabi across departments, as reported by the news.

Dr. Monami Sinha, a member of the Standing Committee, said the Political Science PG syllabus came under “significant scrutiny” during the meeting.

'Pakistan and the World', 'China's Role in the Contemporary World', 'Islam and International Relations', 'Pakistan: State and Society' and 'Religious Nationalism and Political Violence' will likely be either dropped or replaced by other courses.

"It is imperative to study Pakistan in detail because, pedagogically, we need to train our students and foster scholarship on Pakistan, as it remains one of India's constant foreign policy challenges," she stated in her note.

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She also called China an emerging key player in the Global South, emphasising why it's important to include a course on it.

Abha Dev, Secretary of Democratic Teachers' Front (DTF), also objected to the move, emphasising academic autonomy. "Academic autonomy of Departments stands eroded. The dumbing down of courses by revisions centred around "beliefs" rather than questions of pedagogy and scientific inquiry is unfortunate. Forced revisions are retrograde and are politically motivated. DU was known for its UG courses. These forced changes will adversely impact students' scholarships. This should worry all of us," said Abha Dev.

Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an elected member of the Academic Council, questioned the standing committee’s jurisdiction. “The standing committee can suggest changes, but it cannot direct departments to drop papers. Universities must foster open, critical debate, not suppress uncomfortable questions. Engaging with the ‘other’ is vital for intellectual growth in today’s complex geopolitical environment," he stated.

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The controversy has reignited debate around academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and ideological interference in higher education.

Following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, department heads at Delhi University were asked to remove any unnecessary glorification of Pakistan from their syllabus, university Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh told the news.

The new courses will then be referred to the department’s course committee. The committee will prepare a new syllabus. This syllabus will be presented for approval to the university syllabus panel and then tabled in the Academic Council for approval.

In contrast, Professor Harendra Tiwari defended the move, calling it a step towards removing ideological bias and making the syllabus “India-first.”

“Why only a paper on Islam and International Relations? Why not on Hinduism or Sikhism? We want a syllabus that serves students and our nation,” Tiwari told.

He clarified that the dropped papers will not be reinstated unless the content aligns with a national perspective and offers balanced academic discourse.

The next committee meeting on July 1 is expected to witness further deliberations on what defines academic relevance in a changing political climate.

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