Jamia Millia Islamia has suspended a faculty member from its Department of Social Work due to complaints regarding the content of an end-of-semester examination paper. The suspension, effective immediately, follows the inclusion of a question that asked students to “discuss the atrocities against Muslim minorities in India,” as outlined in an official order from the university.
The faculty member, Virendra Balaji Shahare, served as the paper setter for the BA (Hons) Social Work Semester-I examination titled Social Problems in India for the academic session 2025–26. The university received multiple complaints regarding the content of the question paper, prompting administrative action.
According to an order dated December 23, 2025, the university described the professor’s actions as demonstrating “negligence and carelessness,” which warranted a serious response. As a result, Shahare has been suspended pending further investigation, and a police FIR will also be filed as per university protocol.
The order invokes Statute 37(1) of the university’s regulations, allowing for disciplinary action if a faculty member’s behavior is deemed “unbecoming.” During the suspension, he is required to stay in New Delhi and must seek prior approval to leave.
While Jamia Millia Islamia has not specified the complaints made against the examination question, the university’s decision has sparked backlash among students, peers, and various human rights organizations. Humaira Aftab, a former student of the Department of Social Work, expressed her support for Shahare, stating that the question posed was highly relevant to the subject matter. She suggested that the professor is being unfairly targeted, noting his Dalit background.
Aftab further questioned the rationale behind not addressing the challenges faced by minorities in discussions pertinent to social problems. A teacher from the same institution, who wished to remain anonymous, highlighted concerns about power dynamics affecting academic freedom, stating, “Those in power make sure that no one, not even an independent minority institution, can go beyond them and ask questions that seek accountability.”
The Jamia Millia Islamia unit of the Fraternity Movement has called for the immediate revocation of Shahare’s suspension, advocating for the protection of academic freedom. The organization pointed out that if a university with a historically significant Muslim identity cannot engage honestly with pressing social issues, it raises concerns about the future of academic discourse.
In a statement, the group warned that continued delays in revoking the suspension would lead to organized resistance from students against perceived assaults on academic freedom.
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