Slogans on Afzal Guru not welcome, ICSSR chairman appointed on basis of merit: Prakash Javadekar
Speaking at the India Today Editors' Roundtable in Delhi today, HRD minister Prakash Havadekar said that anti-India sloganeering is not encouraged on campus.
In Short
- Open discussions are encouraged on college campuses, Javadekar said.
- He defended the decision to appoint BB Kumar as the chairman of the ICSSR.
- Javadekar said that the government is bringing in more accountability in learning outcomes.
Open discussions are encouraged on college campuses but anti-India sloganeering is not, said Union minister Prakash Javadekar at the India Today Editors' Roundtable today.
"What remains within the ambit of the Constitution and democracy is always welcome," said the Human Resource Development Minister in the Narendra Modi government, adding that slogans such as "Afzal tere kaatil zinda hai" are not part of open discussions on campus.
THE ICSSR CHIEF APPOINTMENT ROW
The HRD Minister defended the decision to appoint B B Kumar as the chairman of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). The ICSSR chairman's appointment has been mired in controversy following reports that at least 10 dead scholars were named in the collegium that appointed B B Kumar.
Asked if the Narendra Modi government is trying to saffronise academic appointments, Prakash Javadekar shot back and said critics like Ramachandra Guha are not the final arbiters in this case.
Past ICSSR Chairmen have included those great scholars DR Gadgil, Rajni Kothari, and Andre Beteille. Now we have this semi-literate Sanghi.- Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) May 9, 2017
"Past ICSSR Chairmen have included those great scholars DR Gadgil, Rajni Kothari, and Andre Beteille. Now we have this semi-literate Sanghi," historian Ramachandra Guha had tweeted on the appointment.
The HRD Minister said that B B Kumar has researched on Islam and written several books, and his appointment as the ICSSR chief is based of merit.
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY NEXT YEAR
Asked about the delay in the much-awaited National Education Policy, Prakash Javadekar said the policy will be finalised in the next one year.
Enumerating his ministry's achievements, the HRD Minister said that the government is bringing in more accountability in learning outcomes.
He said the Centre will now give the state governments the right to detain a student at Class 5 and Class 8 after two attempts. "The Right to Education focused on input, we have changed it from input to outcome," Javadekar said.
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