Jammu, March 24, 2026: The University of Jammu in Indian-administered Kashmir is considering removing chapters on Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal, and Syed Ahmad Khan from its Master’s in Political Science syllabus following protests by students.
Critics, led by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), say the inclusion of Jinnah portrays him as a leader of minorities in India, sparking controversy on campus.
A university panel, headed by Professor Naresh Padha of the physics department, has forwarded the recommendation to the Board of Studies, which will review the matter in the coming days.
ABVP state secretary Sannak Shrivats, who led the protests, argued that Jinnah’s inclusion was inappropriate. The student organization is affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Defending the syllabus, Baljit Singh Mann, head of the political science department, said that featuring Jinnah and other thinkers aligns with curricula across India and the guidelines of the University Grants Commission.
He emphasized that the university aims to present multiple perspectives, enabling critical analysis rather than promoting any ideology.
The Board of Studies is expected to make a final decision soon.