Parliament Question: Removal of Social Reformers from University Curriculum

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2534 ANSWERED ON- 09/03/2026 Removal of Social Reformers from University Curriculum †2534. Shri Amra Ram: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware that Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, a pioneer of social justice was removed from the Political Science curriculum of the University of Rajasthan and subsequently reinstated, if so, the details thereof; (b) whether such decisions undermine the symbols of social justice and constitutional values, if so, the details thereof; and (c) whether the Union Government proposes to issue any concrete guidelines to strengthen the study of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Phule and other social reformers in universities, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR) (a) to (c): Education is a subject in the Concurrent list of the seventh schedule to the Constitution of India. Universities are established both under Central Acts and State Acts. University of Rajasthan is a State University. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has informed that Universities are autonomous institutions governed by their respective Acts, Statutes & Ordinances. They offer programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and decide their curricula with the approval of their respective statutory authorities. Further, the UGC has formulated guidelines for the establishment of Chairs in Universities, under which Chairs may be established in the names of illustrious persons, Nobel Laureates, and other eminent individuals in recognition of their contributions to various fields and areas of knowledge. *****