Sharda University Suspends a Muslim Prof For Setting a Question on ‘Fascism and Hindutva’ Compare.

Question on ‘Hindutva-Fascism’ relation in exam paper: Sharda University issues showcause notice to a Muslim faculty after suspending him.

Pic believed as Waqas Farooq Kuttay. (Source: Social Media).

Upendra Bharti | HENB | New Delhi | May 8, 2022:: A Muslim professor working on ad-hoc basis at Sharda University in Greater Noida, Delhi NCR has been suspended over an examination question that appeared in the first-year BA (Hons) Political Science paper. One of the question in the paper asked the student to write similarities between Fascism, Nazism and Hindutva has got sever criticism from a large section, following which the professor was suspended.

As photos of the paper spread online, college authorities took cognisance of the incident and took action against the faculty identified as Waqas Farooq Kuttay under School of Humanities and Social Sciences. In the paper, on a subject titled Political Ideologies, question number 6, from section B read, “Do you find any similarities between Fascism/Nazism and Hindu right-wing (Hindutva)? Elaborate with the argument.” The question carrying 7 marks.

Actually, he question paper went viral on social media after BJP leader Vikash Preetam Sinha shared the photo and said the question paper was set by a Muslim teacher.

The university constituted a three-member committee of senior faculty members to “look into the possibility of bias in the questions”. In a statement issued on Saturday, the university said the committee has found the question objectionable. For the evaluation purpose, the question may be ignored by the evaluators, the university said.

The professor was suspended after a three-member faculty meeting was set up over the matter, on Saturday afternoon, which decided to send a show-cause notice to the professor.

The university took to Twitter to announce its decision. It said, “While the university has constituted a three-member committee of senior faculty members to look into the possibility of bias in the questions asked from the 1st year BA Political Science (Hons) students, pending this inquiry, the university has suspended the faculty concerned. The university regrets that such an incident has taken place that may have the potential for fomenting social discord.”

According to News18 media, the university authorities also stated that they are “totally averse to any line of thought which distorts the great national identity and the inclusive culture inherent in our national ethos”. The university also said that for marking the students in the paper, the question in contention will not be “ignored by examiners”.

It was the question of the mid-term examination of Sharda University’s Schools of Business Studies, School of Law, School of Humanities and Social Sciences where the Department of Political Science is related.

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__Inputs from News 18 and Hindustan Times.