Professor suspended for preparing exam question; “any similarities between fascism and Hindutva?”

The University Grants Commission on Monday sought a report from the Sharda University in Greater Noida regarding a question in its examination that asked about the similarities between Hindutva and fascism.

“Needless to say that asking students such a question is against the spirit and ethos of our country, which is known for inclusivity and homogeneity and such questions have not been asked,” the UGC said, reported PTI.

The question which had appeared in the first-year Bachelor of Arts (Honours) political science paper, read: “Do you find any similarities between fascism/nazism and Hindu right-wing [Hindutva]? Elaborate with the argument.”

Assistant Professor Waqas Farooq Kuttay, who prepared the question paper, has been suspended and a three-team committee formed to look into the matter.

A teaching staff at poltical science department in Sharda university, Noida was suspended after a question on "similarities between Fascism and Hindu right wing" appeared in the mid term exam. A 3-member team has been constituted by the varsity to probe the matter. pic.twitter.com/0XYYCc8iJj

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) May 7, 2022

The higher education regulator asked the private university to explain the steps it has taken to ensure that such incidents do not take place again.

In a statement on 6 May, the university said that it regrets the episode as it could have the potential to “foment social discord.”

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— Sharda University (@sharda_uni) May 6, 2022

Last year, after a question on Gujarat’s 2002 Muslim genocide was asked in the CBSE’s Sociology test in the Term 1 Board Exams for Class 12, the Board had apologised for it, called it “inappropriate,” and promised “strict action” against “responsible persons.”

Here was the question: “The unprecedented scale and spread of anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat in 2002 took place under which government?”

Under which given options were congress, democratic, BJP, and Republican. Students had to select the right option and encircle it in the OMR sheet.

Soon after the exam, CBSE had issued a public statement calling the question to be against its guidelines.