Proposal to include Manusmriti, Baburnama in History (Honours) syllabus to be withdrawn: DU V-C

In July last year, there was an uproar by a section of DU teachers over a proposal to introduce Manusmriti in the Faculty of Law's undergraduate programme as a suggested reading.

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Mar 5, 2025 03:48 AM IST

History of Hindi literature may soon become mandatory in DU's general elective pool

The latest decision to incorporate Manusmriti and Tuzuk-i-Baburi (Baburnama), the memoir of Mughal emperor Babur, in the syllabus was approved by the History Department's Joint Committee of Courses on February 19.(Representative image/ file)

Delhi University (DU) Vice-Chancellor (V-C) Yogesh Singh on Tuesday condemned a proposal to include Manusmriti and Tuzuk-i-Baburi (Baburnama) in the undergraduate History (Honours) syllabus, asserting that the university will not entertain content that fosters societal divisions and maintaining that he will withdraw the proposal.

However, The Indian Express has learnt that there is a difference of opinion within sections of the university regarding this decision. Some faculty members have argued that omitting such texts restricts academic inquiry.

The proposal, which was approved by the History Department’s Joint Committee of Courses on February 19, is yet to be cleared by DU’s Academic Council and Executive Council. Singh told The Indian Express on Tuesday that he will exercise his emergency powers to prevent it from being placed in the next Academic Council meeting.

“We are working hard to follow the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and contribute towards Viksit Bharat. Our sole focus is on that. This is the 21st century, and students of DU will not be studying such backward topics,” Singh said.

However, some faculty members from the History Department, including those in the Committee of Courses, defended the proposal to include Manusmriti, arguing that it is essential for understanding caste and gender discrimination.

“How can one understand caste and discrimination if they do not read Manusmriti? To understand inequality and discrimination, one must educate themselves. After all, that is what a university space should be all about,” a faculty member told The Indian Express.

Another faculty member questioned the exclusion of Baburnama, calling it an “unfair categorisation”. “When you label readings like Baburnama as readings of invaders, it is unfair. Can one learn about Rajputs without mentioning the Mughals? We are living in a period where we are coming up with selective definitions of the past. History is all about going back with the help of sources. Manusmriti has always been a part of the ancient history curriculum. One cannot teach ancient Indian history without understanding Manusmriti.”

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While the Head of the History Department, Professor Shalini Shah, did not respond to calls or messages, a senior DU official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, questioned the selective focus on Manusmriti.

“There are various Smritis. Why should one only teach Manusmriti, which focuses on bashing and discrimination of individuals and backward thought? Why can’t we teach the other Smritis? These are initiatives taken by certain sections of professors who have political intentions and want to drag the university into a controversy,” the official said.

Officials said the History Department is scheduled to hold a review meeting next week to formally withdraw the suggested inclusion of Manusmriti and Baburnama.

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

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