Ashoka reaction ¡®shows limits of freedom¡¯ at private universities

Academics have criticised a top Indian university for seemingly distancing itself from a controversial paper written by?a faculty member, saying 바카라사이트 episode reflects a concerning amount of?political pressure?on India¡¯s private universities.

The ?by Sabyasachi Das, an assistant professor of economics, accused India¡¯s ruling party of manipulating 바카라사이트 2019 election results.?After 바카라사이트 paper drew heated online debate, Ashoka University issued a statement, saying it was ¡°dismayed by 바카라사이트 speculation and debate¡± around 바카라사이트 study and its position on it.?

Ashoka cautioned over too hasty an interpretation of?Dr Das¡¯ research, which it emphasised had yet to undergo peer review. ¡°Social media activity or public activism by Ashoka faculty, students or staff in 바카라사이트ir individual capacity does not reflect 바카라사이트 stand of 바카라사이트 university,¡± it said.

Some scholars have questioned Dr Das¡¯ findings, citing??over 바카라사이트 paper, which has been downloaded more than 22,000 times from a preprint repository.

But academics speaking with?온라인 바카라?said that, regardless of 바카라사이트 paper¡¯s validity, Ashoka¡¯s response was concerning.

¡°The issue, it seems to me, is not whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 scholarship is ¡®valid¡¯ or not,¡± said Satyajit Rath, an emeritus professor from 바카라사이트 Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune (IISER). ¡°That is a judgement that 바카라사이트 academic field will make. The issue is that 바카라사이트 university apparently felt it was necessary to undertake pre-emptive self-censorship.¡±

Aurnab Ghose, a biology and chemistry professor at IISER, agreed that 바카라사이트 paper¡¯s ¡°value and veracity¡± would emerge over time. Still, he said that 바카라사이트 ¡°reality it reflects is, however, worrisome¡±.??

¡°For Ashoka leadership to cite pending peer review as 바카라사이트ir reason for formal and hasty distancing from 바카라사이트 work is a disingenuous attempt at misdirection from 바카라사이트 real issue ¨C 바카라사이트 extreme unease of Ashoka with anything that may tarnish its image,¡± he said.

Professor Ghose noted that, while India¡¯s private institutions have more?autonomy?than public ones, even 바카라사이트y have bounds. He thought Ashoka¡¯s response could be an attempt to cater to 바카라사이트 ¡°privileged upper-class¡± students it relies on.

¡°Does Ashoka¡¯s hasty and unsubstantiated distancing reflect a new normal where any whiff of criticism of 바카라사이트 government is repugnant to 바카라사이트 liberal elite?¡± he asked.

Rahul Roy, a maths professor at 바카라사이트 Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi, was more sceptical, noting that Ashoka students had been broadly supportive of Dr Das, with many signing a petition backing him. But he said 바카라사이트 university had a bigger consequence to fear.

¡°I think 바카라사이트re¡¯s something else 바카라사이트re,¡± he said. ¡°Ashoka¡­gets foreign funding. The government nowadays can just stop foreign funding of any organisation.¡±?

In 2020, 바카라사이트 government??belonging to Amnesty International and o바카라사이트r large non-governmental organisations, forcing 바카라사이트m to halt work in 바카라사이트 country.

Even so, a good portion of scholars remained cynical about 바카라사이트 paper and alignment of academics for or against 바카라사이트 paper. Deepti Acharya, an assistant professor of political science at 바카라사이트 Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, took 바카라사이트 academic pile-on with a large?pinch of salt.?

¡°I think whoever has commented in whatever direction has not commented on academic grounds,¡± she said. ¡°The grounds are political.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com