Delhi University Tweaks Undergraduate History Syllabus To Remove 'Ideologically Loaded' Content

The Delhi University (DU) has recently made changes to its undergraduate syllabus for History as part of a curriculum review based on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

These changes include removing references to 'Brahmanisation', withdrawing a paper on inequality, and introducing matriarchal perspectives in units that address patriarchy.

On 26 May, the DU's Academic Council (AC), which is the university's highest decision-making body on academic matters, approved the revised History syllabus for the fourth and fifth semesters of the new four-year undergraduate program (FYUP).

These changes were later ratified by the Executive Council (EC) on 9 June.

Shri Prakash Singh, the director of DU's South Campus and a member of the Standing Committee on Academic Matters, stated that the syllabus revision aims to align with the suggestions of the NEP.

“According to the university, these changes in the syllabus should occur every three years. The purpose is to ensure that what is being taught is holistic, inclusive, representative, and not ideologically loaded,” he said, reports The Indian Express.

According to report, there are some noticeable differences between the old and new history syllabus for the fourth and fifth semesters.

According to The Indian Express and confirmed by professors, there are some noticeable differences between the old and new history syllabus for the fourth and fifth semesters.

One of the changes involves the removal of the term 'Brahmanisation' from the generic elective (GE) titled 'Religion and Religiosity' in the fourth semester.

The title, which has now been renamed to ‘Religious Traditions in the Indian Subcontinent’, included a component called ‘Approaches to Brahmanisation in the early medieval era'.

The component now includes 'shaiva,' 'shakta,' and 'vaishnava' instead of 'Brahmanaisation'.

The new title is 'Approaches to Shaiva, Shakta, and Vaishnava in the early medieval era.'

In a similar vein, the term 'Brahmanical' has been eliminated from the unit title in the fifth semester paper 'Women in Indian History'.

Previously named 'Evolution of Patriarchy with focus on Brahmanical Patriarchy,' it now reads 'Evolution of Patriarchy in Early India.'

Students pursuing BA (Honours), BA Programme, BCom (Honours), and BSc (Honours) are required to choose from a selection of General Elective (GE) courses. The History department offers a range of GEs, including the ones mentioned above.

A teacher from the History department reportedly explained the reasoning behind the recent change, saying that “the terms (‘Brahmanisation’ and ‘Brahmanical’) were not something they (the university) wanted.

They feel that these are not terms one can use in historiographical research. So it has been changed to make it more descriptive".

The course titled 'Inequality and Difference', which had been taught for over five years in the fourth semester, has been removed.

This course examined the concepts of varna, jati, class, caste, gender, and how they have evolved over time.

It also critically analysed the political mobilisation that occurs based on questions of social justice and inequalities in a democratic society.

According to information obtained by The Indian Express, the decision to remove the course was met with opposition from department teachers during the meeting of the Standing Committee on Academic Matters in May.

However, the removal of the course was approved by the Academic Council on 26 May.

As part of the course 'Women in Indian History', new perspectives on matriarchy have been introduced in the units that originally focused on patriarchy.

One History professor, who preferred to remain anonymous, explained that the inclusion of matriarchy was meant to acknowledge the existence of other forms of social organization besides patriarchy. Thus, it was agreed to include matriarchy in the course.

Changes have also been made to the Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) titled 'Gender in Indian History up to 1500 CE' in the fifth semester.

A DSE is an elective course for BA (Honours) History students. One of the units in this elective, which previously focused on 'Understanding origins and structures of patriarchy', has now been revised to include 'Understanding structures of patriarchy, patrilocality patriliny and matriarchy, matrilocality and matriliny'.

The changes in the syllabus were approved during the Academic Council meeting on 26 May.

Ratna Bali, the Dean of Academic Activities, who was a special invitee at the meeting, stated that the aim behind these changes was to provide students with multiple perspectives.

There are several other changes that have been made to the curriculum.

One of these changes is the removal of the Skill Enhancement Course titled 'Indian Art and Architecture' from the fourth semester.

This course used to provide students with an understanding of how Indian Art is perceived in the West and also covered topics such as Jama Masjid, Humayun's tomb, stupa and monastery architecture, Brihadeshwara and Khajuraho temple complex, and other significant structures.

According to History teachers, the reason for dropping this course was that it did not meet the criteria of being classified as a 'skill course'.