Education Minister Pradhan praises JNU for anti-terrorism curriculum

Addressing the vice-chancellors of the central university, Pradhan said he appreciates JNU and its administration for starting such a course.

“Top global universities can deliver discourses and debates on terrorism and counter-terrorism. Why can’t our universities do this?” he asked. Pradhan said a fellow MP had written to him on the JNU issue, but the minister did not say whether the MLA, whose name he did not name, was in favor of the JNU curriculum. Or against.

On August 17, the JNU Academic Council had approved three new courses – ‘Strategy for Countering Terrorism, Asymmetric Conflict and Cooperation between Major Powers’; ‘India’s emerging world outlook in the twenty-first century’ and ‘Importance of science and technology in international relations’.

Some JNU teachers and students protested the move, alleging that the curriculum allegedly states that ‘jihadi terrorism’ is the only form of ‘radical-religious terrorism’.

Pradhan said that during his interaction with US security experts, he came to know how the Internet and the cyber world will increasingly be used for terrorism activities. “Why can’t our students, engineering students learn this,” he said, adding that eventually, these students will tackle a similar problem once they graduate and find solutions to such issues.

Pradhan also asked the university vice-chancellors not to neglect Indian languages ​​and said that while learning foreign languages ​​is not a problem and would actually benefit the economy, ignoring Indian languages ​​is probably not the way forward.

He asked all the universities to play their part in implementing the new education policy and said that Delhi University has done well by introducing four year undergraduate program along with the existing three year degree courses.

Pradhan’s statements suggest that the ministry supports the steps of universities to implement the necessary changes in line with the recommendations of the NEP, despite criticism from sections of academia.