An MP’s query on the renewal of the tenure of research centres on caste and minority issues in universities has failed to secure a direct reply from the government, stirring up concern over their continuation.
RJD Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha had on August 20 sought to know whether the Centres for Social Inclusion “have not been renewed this year, if so, the reasons for non-renewal”.
In a written reply, minister of state for education Sukanta Majumdar parried the
question.
“The scheme has been renamed ‘Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion in Universities’ and is presently implemented on an annual basis. Further, UGC has rationalised its schemes in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020,” the minister said.
The absence of clarity has left faculty and staff members working at these centres in 24 universities worried about their future.
The UGC, which grants funds to these centres and renews their tenure annually, is yet to approve the continuation of the centres whose term expired in March.
In the majority of these centres, the appointments are made for one year and renewed annually. These tenure-based faculty and staff members have not received their salaries since April.
“We have been contacting the UGC on the delay in the renewal of our centres. They say the UGC is being upgraded to the Higher Education Commission of India, which will decide on the continuation of the Centres for Study of Social Inclusion. They also say the guidelines of the scheme are being revised, hence the delay. We are not sure if the centres will continue or be wound up,” said a faculty member at one such centre in a state university.
N. Sukumar, a professor of political science at Delhi University, said the research subjects in these centres were in direct conflict with the social hierarchical order that the government-supported Indian Knowledge System (IKS) wanted to reinforce.
“The government has been promoting the IKS in all universities and courses. The study on caste and social discrimination is focused on marginalised sections. The findings of these studies present an antithesis to the IKS that hails Brahminical hegemony. That is why the government is against these centres,” Sukumar said.
An email was sent to higher education secretary Vineet Joshi, who holds additional charge as UGC chairman, seeking his comment on the issue. His response is awaited.