Delhi University drops Poet Muhammad Iqbal, author of 'Saare Jahan Se Achha', from Political Science syllabus

Delhi University's Academic Council has made the decision to remove a chapter on Pakistan's national poet Muhammad Iqbal from the political science syllabus. Muhammad Iqbal, known for penning the iconic patriotic song "Saare Jahan Se Achha", is often credited with playing a significant role in the birth of the idea of Pakistan.

The chapter in question, titled 'Modern Indian Political Thought', was previously included as part of the Bachelor of Arts (BA) sixth-semester paper. However, during the 1014th Academic Council meeting, Vice Chancellor Professor Yogesh Singh expressed the view that individuals who laid the foundation for the partition of India should not be included in the syllabus.

The Vice Chancellor's proposal received unanimous support from the Council members, leading to the removal of the chapter on Muhammad Iqbal. Additionally, the Council also approved proposals to establish new centers for Partition Studies, Hindu Studies, and Tribal Studies.

While the decision to exclude Muhammad Iqbal from the syllabus was welcomed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), who referred to Iqbal as a "fanatic theological scholar" responsible for India's partition, it has also generated differing opinions. Some council members opposed the proposal for Partition Studies, arguing that it was divisive.

It is worth noting that the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) revised its textbooks in April, removing chapters related to the Mughal empire from the Class 12 History book. This revision aligns with the rationalized syllabus for 2023-24, which resulted in the deletion of a significant portion of Mughal history across history books from Classes 7-12 published by the NCERT.