The Delhi Minorities Commission Tuesday issued a notice to the Jawaharlal Nehru University Registrar, asking if the administration had considered the implications of introducing a course in ‘Islamic Terrorism’ at the campus. The Indian Express had reported on Saturday that the university had given in-principle approval to the study of ‘Islamic Terrorism’ by a new centre on national security, in its Academic Council meeting held on Friday. According to sources, a proposal to set up the Centre for National Security Studies (CNSS) was given approval, with ‘Islamic Terrorism’ set to be taught there. The Academic Council meeting agenda mentioned it as one of the “key areas” of study. The minority commission took suo motu cognizance of media reports and asked the university to explain if there was any concept paper or proposal to include a course. If yes, the notice said, “please provide details on what areas are to be covered under this subject and what are. the sources, methodology, reference books/works/studies to be followed, and who are the main experts who will take part in the implementation, research and teaching of this subject?” The university is supposed to reply to the notice by June 5. “Has the current administration of JNU considered the implications of introducing this subject in the campus, on its students and on the broader society outside? If so, please provide a copy of any such assessment note prepared on this subject,” the notice says. The university did not respond despite repeated calls and messages. The commission also took note of the reports that said several Academic Council members had opposed the proposal. “Please provide a full list of the members of the Academic Council, marking those who were present during the meeting where the above proposal was adopted. Since there is a report that ‘many members’ of the council objected to the introduction of this subject, was there any voting and if so what was the result, and please provide a copy of the minutes of the said meeting where the subject was discussed and approved,” the notice says.
