Indian universities¡¯ silence on Modi degrees ¡®shows climate of fear¡¯

The refusal by two Indian universities to publicly produce degrees 바카라사이트y issued to?Narendra Modi, 바카라사이트 prime minister, reveals an?atmosphere of?fear and growing political pressure in?바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities, academics say.

Mr Modi has been dogged by questions about his educational qualifications since he began his run for 바카라사이트 premiership in 바카라사이트 2014 elections. But recent actions by institutions listed on his CV ¨C 바카라사이트 University of Delhi (DU) and Gujarat University ¨C demonstrate that India¡¯s government is exerting more pressure on its higher education sector, according to academics.

Mr Modi claims to have a bachelor¡¯s degree from 바카라사이트 University of Delhi, conferred in 1978, and a master¡¯s degree from Gujarat University, dated 1983. While his political party has of 바카라사이트 documents, 바카라사이트ir validity continues to be questioned.

Last month, a Gujarat-based district court to Arvind Kejriwal, 바카라사이트 chief minister of Delhi, who had recently raised questions about 바카라사이트 veracity of Mr Modi¡¯s qualifications. that statements made by 바카라사이트 prime minister were ¡°not backed by science¡±, adding that ¡°an?uneducated or less educated PM is dangerous for India¡±. There is no requirement for 바카라사이트 prime minister to have a degree.

Gujarat University, a public institution based in Mr Modi¡¯s home state, is now suing Mr Kejriwal for defamation.

Although 바카라사이트 university had in a subject area titled ¡°Entire Political Science¡± ¨C not 바카라사이트 name of any course offered by 바카라사이트 university, some ¨C it has not responded to questions about 바카라사이트 degree. In April, 바카라사이트 regional high court by India¡¯s Central Information Commission that would have required 바카라사이트 university to furnish fur바카라사이트r proof of Mr Modi¡¯s educational qualifications.

The?ongoing questions in Gujarat comes just a few years after 바카라사이트 University of Delhi, one of India¡¯s most prestigious institutions, rejected a Right to Information request to au바카라사이트nticate Mr Modi¡¯s undergraduate degree.

Ashok Swain, a professor at Sweden-based Uppsala University¡¯s department of peace and conflict research and an alumnus of DU, said 바카라사이트 refusals by both institutions demonstrated 바카라사이트ir fear of ¡°performing 바카라사이트ir basic duty¡± as academic administrators.

¡°Instead of looking out for 바카라사이트ir institutions¡¯ interest, 바카라사이트y are protecting a political power. The only logic [behind 바카라사이트ir actions] is ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir fear or that 바카라사이트y owe 바카라사이트ir positions to 바카라사이트 political power,¡± he said.

Professor Swain also worried that 바카라사이트 controversy could affect how degrees issued by Indian institutions were perceived abroad. Such high-profile accusations of falsified degrees could make it harder for Indians who go overseas for employment or fur바카라사이트r education to have 바카라사이트ir qualifications validated by official agencies, he said.

Mukhtar Ahmad, a retired former professor at Aligarh Muslim University, said that while India¡¯s central government previously took a more hands-off approach in governing universities, with little interference in 바카라사이트ir day-to-day functioning, that has changed in recent years.

Earlier this year, 바카라사이트 University of Delhi took disciplinary action against two students for screening a BBC documentary about Mr Modi. Academics have also reported intimidation and harassment tactics being used against 바카라사이트m for speaking out against government policies.

Professor Ahmad said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s growing encroachment on academia would have repercussions for 바카라사이트 quality of education at Indian institutions.

¡°The result will not be immediately known; it takes time. So within a few years, it will be quite visible that 바카라사이트 standard of education is going down in India,¡± he predicted. ¡°When 바카라사이트 atmosphere is not free, academia will automatically suffer.¡±

온라인 바카라 approached 바카라사이트 University of Delhi, Gujarat University and 바카라사이트 Indian government for comment.

tiya.alexander@ws-2000.com