Students of the History Department of Delhi University stage a protest as half of 20 papers get removed from their course.
On October 9th, students from the History Department at Delhi University protested over an alleged reduction in the courses the university offers.
Hundreds of students gathered for the protest as only 23 out of the 43 papers were being offered, limiting students’ academic choices. The university has offered papers on caste, gender, tribal histories, labor, and medieval Indian history. The reduction process allegedly lacked transparency and did not involve adequate history faculty members.
The head of the history department, Prabhu Mohapatra, came forward and said that teachers with relevant expertise in their areas of specialisation were being prevented from teaching it. Jitendra Meena, a history teacher, said that this reduction in papers was a reflection of ideological intervention in higher education; adding to this, he told about a notification received from PMO where there were many books listed, such as BR Ambedkar’s “Annihilation of Caste”, not to be taught in universities.
Another professor, Maya John, pointed out the structural governance issues, stating the history department was restricted from speaking in the academic council meeting and that the expert committee lacked history domain experts.
The demands of the protest are that all 43 papers be restored, the protection of departmental academic autonomy from arbitrary course deletions, ensuring a transparent decision-making process involving domain-expert faculty, and providing additional classrooms and resources to support expanded FYUP enrolment.
A joint student statement summarised that cutting courses from 43 to 23 impacts educational quality, intellectual freedom, and depth of historical scholarship adversely; it isn’t just a curricular issue.
Vanshika U Singh
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