Jamia Professor Suspended Over Exam Question on Atrocities Against Muslims
Jamia Professor Suspended Over Exam Question on Atrocities Against Muslims
A Jamia Millia Islamia professor is suspended after a BA Social Work exam asked students to discuss atrocities against Muslims, sparking debate on academic freedom.
Jamia Millia Islamia suspended a professor from the Department of Social Work after a question in the BA (Hons.) Social Work paper prompted sharp criticism for asking students to discuss atrocities against Muslims in India in the Social Problems in India section. The incident involved the December 21 exam, which included the prompt: “Discuss the atrocities against Muslims in India giving suitable examples.” The move came as social media posts circulated the question, with many calling it polarising and communal.
An official order said the university views the alleged negligence and carelessness by the professor as a serious matter, placing the instructor under suspension until further orders and until an FIR is registered as per rules. A revised version of the order reportedly removed the FIR clause, and the updated text was not shared publicly by university officials, who cited confidentiality. The professor did not respond to requests for comment.
The controversy grew online, with students and observers debating whether the exam prompt crossed lines of sensitivity or touched a legitimate academic discussion. A university official described the incident as a test of the university’s standards and warned that no action would be taken without a formal inquiry committee’s report.
On the campus, responses were divided. Satyam Vats, a member of the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s JNU unit, asked, “How can a Central University ask this question when Hindus are being massacred in our neighbourhood every day?” In contrast, the Fraternity Movement, a student organisation, said it supported the professor and defended the exam paper as a courageous stand for independent thinking.
Educators and students say the case underscores a broader debate about academic freedom, sensitivity to communal issues, and how universities should handle controversial topics in assessment. As the inquiry proceeds, many are awaiting the committee’s report to determine the next steps and potential policy clarifications that may follow this incident in central Indian universities.
