Meerut prof Dr Seema panwar banned from setting question papers after row over RSS question in exam

Meerut: An Senior Professor Dr Seema panwar, Head of Political Science Dept in a Govt-run college has been permanently banned from setting exam papers after a question in the MA political science paper at Chaudhary Charan Singh University (CCSU) sparked outrage for listing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) alongside extremist organisations.
The contentious question, asked in the second semester political science exam on April 2, read: "Which organisation is not a part of the anomic group?" And the options included Naxalite groups, Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front, Dal Khalsa and RSS.
The inclusion of RSS among the options triggered protests, led by student groups, including the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
CCSU registrar professor Dhirender Kumar told TOI, "The question was not only out of syllabus but also mentioned a social organisation in the same context as extremist ones."
Another question in the same paper allegedly linked RSS to the rise of caste and religion-based politics in India, further fuelling the controversy.
The professor concerned, however, said she "did nothing wrong" and that she was not given an opportunity to explain before action was taken against her. "I was simply handed a letter on Friday, debarring me without any hearing. The question is being misinterpreted. It is being argued that RSS is not part of the syllabus. But how can we discuss BJP and not mention RSS in political science? They are historically and ideologically connected. What exactly is the problem with the question? This seems like a targeted campaign against me," said the professor.
She said that while she expressed regret if sentiments were hurt, it was not an admission of guilt. "I never apologised. I only said that if anyone's sentiments were hurt, I regret that. How can that be construed as an apology?" she asked.
Meanwhile, several academics have come forward in her support, raising concerns over the university's handling of the issue. "One of the most serious concerns is a gross translation error. The term ‘anomic' refers to someone who disregards societal norms and values, as per standard dictionary definitions. However, in the Hindi translation of the paper, it was incorrectly rendered as ‘aṇavik' (meaning atomic), which changes the meaning entirely," a faculty member said.
"If there were objections, they should have been about correcting translation errors and ensuring accuracy in the question paper, not about punishing a professor without a hearing," said Piyush Tripathi, assistant professor of political science at Bulandshahr's DN College and former joint secretary of Meerut University Teachers Association.
Questioning the university's swift action, Tripathi said, "Universities are supposed to be bastions of academic freedom, not institutions that yield to irrational pressures."
Meanwhile, ABVP's Meerut mahanagar president Dharmender Singh said the questions "aimed to mislead students and malign the RSS… It is a cultural organisation with no links to terrorism or casteism, and equating it with extremist groups was a deliberate attempt to create a false narrative, something we strongly opposed."