Jammu University sets up committee over Jinnah chapter controversy, ABVP protests intensify

As the inclusion of a chapter on the political thought of former Pakistan president Muhammad Ali Jinnah snowballed into a major controversy, the administration of the University of Jammu announced the constitution of a high-level committee to examine the syllabus of the postgraduate course in political science.

The vice-chancellor of the University of Jammu has constituted a high-level committee to examine concerns related to the political science syllabus that were recently highlighted in the media and raised by students.

According to an order issued by the Office of the Dean of Academic Affairs, the committee will be headed by Prof. Naresh Padha as convener and will comprise the heads of the departments of philosophy, history, and sociology, along with the director, DSRS. The Assistant Registrar (Academic Affairs) will serve as the Member Secretary. The panel has been tasked with thoroughly reviewing the issue and submitting its report at the earliest.

ABVP stages protest over “glorifying” Jinnah

Earlier on Friday, activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged protests at the University of Jammu, demanding the withdrawal of a chapter on Jinnah.

Led by ABVP Jammu and Kashmir Secretary Sannak Shrivats, the activists assembled on the university campus and raised slogans against the administration, seeking the immediate removal of the chapter from the “Modern Indian Political Thought” module under the paper “Minorities and the Nation”.

The protesters also tore posters of Jinnah and warned of intensifying their agitation if the content is not withdrawn.

“Our government should take note that the Department of Political Science at Jammu University has released its syllabus for 2026–2028. In it, under ‘Modern Indian Political Thought’, certain individuals are being presented as representatives of minorities, including Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. These are the same individuals who played a role in the Partition of the country and propounded the two-nation theory. Teaching about them raises serious concerns,” an ABVP leader told reporters.

Shrivats said that academic freedom should not come at the cost of national sentiments and termed the decision “unacceptable” to students.

“If the university administration fails to revoke this inclusion immediately, ABVP will be compelled to launch a strong democratic agitation across Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

As per the revised syllabus of “Modern Indian Political Thought” (Core), Muhammad Ali Jinnah has been included in the unit “Minorities and the Nation”.

“While universities are centres of academic discourse, the inclusion of personalities in core curricula must be done with due regard to national ethos, historical truth, and the collective sentiments of the nation. Placing figures associated with the Partition of India alongside great national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is completely unacceptable,” the ABVP said.

The Parishad has questioned the intent and rationale behind such a move, stating that it risks distorting historical understanding and creating confusion among students.

ABVP has demanded the immediate removal of Muhammad Ali Jinnah from the syllabus. It also called for transparency from the university administration regarding the basis of such changes and urged the constitution of an expert committee to review the syllabus in line with national interest and academic integrity.

The ABVP stated that the clarification issued by Jammu University—that “inclusion does not mean endorsement”—does not adequately address the concerns of students and society regarding the appropriateness of such content in the curriculum.

Sannak Shrivats, State Secretary, ABVP Jammu and Kashmir, said: “The university must understand that academic freedom does not mean disregard for national sentiments. This decision is unacceptable to the student community. If the university administration fails to revoke this inclusion immediately, ABVP will be compelled to launch a strong democratic agitation across Jammu and Kashmir.”