New Delhi: Delhi University’s psychology syllabus has come under scrutiny after the university’s academic standing committee proposed the removal of chapters related to the Kashmir issue and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the removed content was previously part of the syllabus under the section titled “Conflict and Conflict Resolution”, which explored global and domestic conflicts, including Kashmir, Palestine, Northeast India, and other conflict zones.
During a recent meeting, Professor Shri Prakash Singh, chair of the standing committee, advocated for eliminating what he termed the “overrepresentation” of Western concepts. He recommended replacing case studies on Kashmir and Palestine with content from Indian epics such as the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita, arguing that these would better reflect “Indian ways of thinking.”
In addition to the removal of conflict-related case studies, content on Minority Stress Theory and workplace diversity—topics designed to address the mental health challenges faced by marginalised communities, including those affected by caste- and gender-based discrimination—was also dropped.
Dr Monami Sinha, a member of both the Academic Council and the Standing Committee, criticised the changes, calling these topics “vital for a modern understanding of Indian society.” She expressed concern over the chair’s unilateral decisions, warning that the revisions diminish the subject’s relevance in addressing real-world psychological and societal issues.
A panel has been formed to rework the syllabus and present a revised draft, but the development has sparked broader debate about academic freedom and ideological influence in the curriculum of one of India’s leading universities.
The post Kashmir, Palestine dropped from Delhi University’s psychology syllabus first appeared on Kashmir Media Service.
