New Delhi: The recent appointment of Professor Mazhar Asif as Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has stirred unease within the university community due to his perceived affiliations with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). A former member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) during his student years at JNU, Professor Asif’s ties with these organisations and previous controversies have raised concerns that his political leanings could influence JMI’s academic direction.
Within Jamia, there is rising apprehension over the future direction of the university. Many feel that his connections with the ruling party represent not just a cause for concern but a potentially dangerous shift, threatening the university’s tradition of critical discourse and independent thought.
These concerns are further amplified by his support for pro-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) activities, which some perceive as anti-student, and incidents during his tenure at JNU. In 2017, his faculty appointment at JNU faced resistance from the teachers’ association, and in 2020, the JNU Students’ Union accused him of inciting violence during a campus clash that resulted in injuries to over 30 students.
Despite his academic credentials as a Ramayana expert and contributions to the drafting committee of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, critics worry that Professor Asif’s affiliations may prioritise political ideologies over academic freedom. The Jamia community fears that under his leadership, the institution may face increasing politicisation, potentially compromising its progressive and inclusive values at a critical juncture for Indian education.
