DU Syllabus Change: Delhi University to drop Hindu nationalism, Islam readings from PG Arts syllabus

Delhi University PG Arts Syllabus Change

Delhi University has proposed sweeping revisions to its postgraduate syllabi across Political Science, Geography, and Sociology. The changes, discussed in the Standing Committee meeting held on June 25, 2025, recommend the removal of entire papers and critical units dealing with sensitive themes such as religious nationalism, internal conflict, caste dynamics, and LGBTQ+ studies.

In the Geography department, the course Territorial Bases of Politics in India has been earmarked for major revision. The unit focusing on Internal Conflicts and Problems of Nation Building is among those set to be dropped, along with a significant reading by political scientist Paul Brass that explores Hindu-Muslim violence. Additionally, the Social Geography course faces restructuring, with a unit on the population distribution of Scheduled Castes labeled problematic. The entire elective paper on Vulnerability and Disaster is also proposed for elimination.

The Sociology syllabus is not untouched. The foundational course Introduction to Sociological Theory has been criticized for an overreliance on Western thinkers such as Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Émile Durkheim. The committee has suggested integrating Indian scholars and traditional family systems. A reading by Kath Weston on LGBTQ+ kinship has been singled out as culturally and legally inappropriate. Furthermore, in the Sociology of Religion course, commonly accepted sociological terms like "church," "sect," and "cult" are under review, with recommendations to replace them with culturally specific Indian terms such as rishi and muni.

The Political Science department is set to witness the most significant changes, with five complete papers recommended for removal. These include:

• Pakistan and China
• Islam in International Relations
• Religious Nationalism
• Sangh Politics
• Civil War in Sri Lanka

Scholarly works examining Hindu nationalism, caste-based spatial politics, and Muharram processions have also been marked for deletion. A reading by Blom Hansen, noted for his analysis of Hindu nationalist movements, is among the many texts facing removal.

The proposed revisions have prompted concern among faculty members and academic observers. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for July, during which the proposals will be reviewed and potentially finalized. Meanwhile, several faculty members have expressed opposition to the revisions, calling on the university to uphold academic diversity and foster open, critical engagement within the classroom.