Jamia suspends professor over question on ‘atrocities against Muslims’ in exam

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) on Tuesday suspended a professor for “setting a question on atrocities against Muslims” in the BA (Hons.) Social Work question paper, after social media users termed it “polarising and communal”. Several JMI students demanded the revocation of the suspension, describing it as an “assault on academic freedom”. The question appeared in the BA Social Work semester 1 exam on December 21 in the ‘Social Problems in India’ paper. It read: “Discuss the atrocities against Muslims in India giving suitable examples.” The question was later shared on social media by some users and was widely circulated. A JMI order, signed by officiating Registrar C. A. Sheikh Safiullah, stated that the university has taken a serious view of the “negligence and carelessness” on the part of the professor from the Department of Social Work, who had set the paper. The order added that the professor had been placed under suspension till further orders, and until an FIR is registered by the police as per the rules. A source said the order was revised by removing the FIR part and shared with the professor. However, university officials refused to share the updated order, stating that it was “confidential”. The professor did not respond to requests for a comment. A university official, on the condition of anonymity, said, “The question was uploaded on social media, and it created a controversy with social media users saying that it is polarising and communal. The university took action and has suspended the professor until the inquiry committee submits its report.” Satyam Vats, a member of the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s JNU unit, said, “How can a Central University ask this question when Hindus are being massacred in our neighbourhood every day?” However, the Fraternity Movement, a student organisation, said it supports the professor. “We stand firmly with the professor and his courageous refusal to bow to the Hindutva fascist nexus that continues to seep into academic spaces. Jamia has long been a site of critical thought, debate, and dissent, and it must remain so.” Published - December 24, 2025 01:37 am IST

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