Images for representation | Image source: Sushil Kumar Verma
Professor Apoorvanand Jha, University of Delhi (DU), claimed that the university administration has recommended that he submit his proposed text of his speech for travel approval at an academic event in the United States.
The Du government did not respond.
Mr Jha called the move “unprecedented”, saying it undermined the university’s autonomy and academic freedom.
Mr. JHA, a faculty member of the Hindi Department, was invited to speak at a workshop entitled “Global Authoritarian Turning Universities”, as part of a 20th anniversary celebration of the new New York school, scheduled to be held from April 23 to May 1 to May 1.
Speaking to PTI, Mr. Jha said: “I received an email from the Registrar’s Office asking me to submit my speech for approval. I think it’s very shocking. We are willing to lose the autonomy of the DU. This is unprecedented because such a thing has never happened.”
The professor said he had submitted his leave application 35 days in advance through the university’s online Samarth Portal, but received an email from DU on April 2, which stated that the university “cannot grant licenses” and needed to seek advice from the Alliance Ministry of Education.
“I don’t understand what has caused the university to abandon the principle of institutional autonomy and invite intervention from external institutions in this case, in this case, in the case of granting leave,” JHA wrote in a letter to Vice President Yogesh Singh on April 15.
In a written response to the registrar’s office, the professor noted that there are no rules that require the government to liquidate teachers’ travel or leave. Mr. Jia wrote in his response: “You said you did not know any specific rules that require permission from the Ministry. From our conversation, I concluded that the University can actively send my fake application to the Ministry without any necessary laws, rules or regulations.”
“You kindly suggest that I should share my speech for the purpose of conducting it at the Institute of Chinese Studies in a new Chinese school in India, which can be documented to make decisions easy for the ministry. Does this mean that the content of my speech can now be reviewed before the permission to participate in an academic event?” he asked.
The Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) condemned the university’s actions as “arbitrary” and “attacks on academic freedom.” The teachers’ groups describe the need to review speech as “censorship behavior” and accuse the management of institutional autonomy.
It added that denying permission to participate such academics hurts the university’s global reputation and reflects a deeper erosion of institutional integrity.
JHA also expressed his concern on social media and posted his attention on X: “The University of Delhi ADM wants to review and approve my speech text for the Indian Institute of China, the New School (New York) event and seek government advice to decide to grant me the advice on leave.
publishing – April 18, 2025 09:08 AM IST
