Jammu, March 22, 2026 : Amid protests and growing controversy over the inclusion of a chapter on Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the revised postgraduate Political Science syllabus, the University of Jammu has constituted a committee to examine the matter.
The decision follows demonstrations by members of the J&K unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), led by its secretary Sannak Shrivats, who raised slogans against the varsity administration and demanded removal of the chapter from the “Modern Indian Political Thought” module under the paper “Minorities and the Nation.” Protesters also tore posters of Jinnah and warned of intensifying agitation if their demands were not met.
In response, Vice-Chancellor Umesh Rai has formed a committee comprising senior faculty members to review the issue. According to the official order, the panel will examine concerns raised in the media and by students regarding the Political Science syllabus.
The committee will be convened by Prof Naresh Padha and includes Heads of the Departments of Philosophy, History, Sociology, and the Director of Strategic and Regional Studies. The Assistant Registrar (Academic Affairs) will serve as Member Secretary. The panel has been directed to submit its report at the earliest.
The controversy stems from the revised syllabus introduced under the National Education Policy 2020, which includes academic discussions on key political thinkers, including Jinnah. ABVP activists argued that academic freedom should not come at the cost of national sentiments.
Earlier, the Head of the Political Science Department, Baljit Singh Mann, defended the syllabus, stating that the inclusion of figures like Jinnah is purely academic and aligns with curricula followed by universities across the country, as well as guidelines set by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The development highlights the ongoing debate between academic autonomy and public sentiment, as the university moves to address concerns through institutional review.
