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This is an archive article published on January 31, 2024

IIT cancels lecture by Prof Devy, students seek to know reason

The talk was on the topic, “The Crisis Within: On Knowledge and Education in India”.

Prof Devy lecture cancelled, IIT Bombay cancels Prof Devy lecture, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, IIT Bombay news, Professor Ganesh Devy, People’s Linguistic Survey of India, indian express newsLast year, the IIT-Bombay had cancelled Professor Achin Vanaik’s proposed talk on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has cancelled a lecture, which was to be delivered by Professor Ganesh Devy, chairman, People’s Linguistic Survey of India, and a tribal activist, on Wednesday evening at PC Saxena Auditorium on the institute campus in Powai.

The talk was on the topic, “The Crisis Within: On Knowledge and Education in India”.

In an email sent out to the students, the authorities reasoned that the cancellation is owing to “unforeseen circumstances”. The move was questioned by a set of students who have planned to gather at the venue around the scheduled time of the event, demanding to know the reason for cancellation.

According to the abstract shared by the institute’s email, the talk was about the challenges of educational institutions with aspects such as lack of infrastructure, adequate funding and genuine autonomy within educational institutions.

It read, “Prof. Devy argues that it is of critical importance that the plight of education institutions and the need to generate knowledge appropriate to India are addressed without any delay. The talk offers a clear picture of the mistakes that have been committed in the past and confronts the present decline of knowledge and education in the country.”
The spokesperson of the institute said that the decision is “as decided by the institute colloquium committee”.

Prof Devy is known for the people’s linguistic survey of India. He has written and edited close to 90 books in areas, including literary criticism, anthropology, education, linguistics and philosophy. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2014 as a recognition for his work with denotified and nomadic tribes and endangered languages. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1993 for his book titled After Amnesia, which was his first full-length book in English published in 1992.

Last year, the IIT-Bombay had cancelled Professor Achin Vanaik’s proposed talk on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting. Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive: Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Provides in-depth reporting on prestigious institutes like IIT Bombay and TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), covering institutional initiatives, administrative debates (e.g., renaming IIT Bombay), and student welfare programs (e.g., mandatory mental health courses). Teachers and Eligibility: Covers crucial issues affecting the teaching fraternity, such as the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers and related controversies and application numbers. Student Welfare & Rights: Focuses on issues concerning students, including the rollout of government scholarships, the financial strain on schools due to midday meal reimbursement delays, and instances of child rights violations (e.g., the Powai studio hostage crisis). Admissions and Vacancy: Tracks the outcome of centralized admission processes (e.g., MBBS, BPharm) and analyzes vacancy concerns, providing essential data-driven insights for parents and students. Credentials & Trustworthiness Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized. Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families. She tweets @Pallavi_Smart ... Read More

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