Profs, teachers express concern over 'attacks' on academic

Faculty members of varsities and academic institutions in Delhi today expressed concern over alleged "attacks" on academic freedom and institutional autonomy while calling for protection of the university system in the country.
Teachers from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Ambedkar University, South Asian University, IIT and other institutions also condemned the "attack on freedom of ideology" citing recent incidents at JNU and Hyderabad Central University.
"The universities and other institutions of higher learning are not exclusively meant for the elite class but the children of the poor as well," said Jamia faculty Satish Deshpande.
"The academicians feel the attack on ideological freedom is dangerous and the educational spaces need to be allowed the freedom of ideology," he added.

DU's Apoorvanand expressed apprehension that "violation" of the autonomy of universities and other academic institutions may "ruin" them.
Prof Vikram Soni said judicial intervention should be sought for protecting the autonomy and freedom of academic institutions.

"If you consider the fact that the constitutional autonomy of the universities is being completely challenged by the government, why should we not file a PIL against it?" he said.
"The autonomy of universities must be maintained because without freedom and debate there can be no learning," he said.
On the sedition case against JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar, the teachers termed it an "attack" against the institution.

"JNU became a target because student politics there has traditionally been Left of Centre," said Prof Balveer Arora.