Overview
- Jammu University’s Departmental Affairs Committee, which met Sunday, recommended dropping topics on Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and Muhammad Iqbal and sent the proposal to the Board of Studies meeting set for Tuesday, March 24.
- Vice Chancellor Umesh Rai had earlier formed a review panel led by Professor Naresh Padha after ABVP protests on campus, where activists tore posters and said the revised module cast Jinnah as a minority leader under “Minorities and the Nation.”
- Head of Political Science Baljit Singh Mann defended the original syllabus as UGC‑aligned and common across Indian universities, warning that removals could hurt students preparing for the National Eligibility Test.
- Political pushback has widened, with J&K minister Javed Ahmed Rana and leaders from the National Conference and PDP calling the move “intellectual vandalism,” while ABVP hailed the recommendation as a win for student sentiment.
- A BJP leader from the region urged the Union education minister to keep Sir Syed and Iqbal in the syllabus, showing splits even within the broader ruling ecosystem as the Board weighs a choice that could set a precedent for NEP‑era curriculum reviews.