Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has sought a report into the matter pertaining to a question in a law exam paper asking whether a Muslim slaughtering a cow in the presence of Hindus amounts to an offence, while the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University constituted a committee to look into the issue.
Terming the question as “reprehensible” and with a “communal overtone”, Sisodia has directed the Higher Education Secretary to submit the report within five days.
Sisodia’s directive came on Tuesday in the backdrop of the controversial question was asked during December 7 (Friday last), examination paper of Bachelor of Legislative Law (LLB) students. The question paper was received by ten colleges affiliated to the university and offering the LLB course.
Reacting to the controversy, the Delhi Government said it has ordered an inquiry. The university has also constituted a committee to look into the matter and has asked it to submit the report within 10 days.
Taking cognizance of several media reports about the incident, the Controller of Examination (Operations), Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi constituted a committee to look into the matter on Tuesday. The committee has been asked to submit the report within 10 days.
“Ahmed, a Muslim kills a cow in a market in the presence of Rohit, Tushar, Manav and Rahul, who are Hindus. Has Ahmed committed any offence,” stated the question paper given to third semester LLB students. The question was put under the subject ‘Law of Crimes-I.’ The question carried five marks.
The question, which was part of the “law of crimes” paper for third semester LLB students on December 7, drew outrage after it was highlighted by a Supreme Court lawyer through the social media. A varsity official said “if anyone is found guilty in the matter, they can be debarred from the examination process.”
Supreme Court lawyer Bilal Anwar tweeted about the question and shared a screenshot of the question paper, tagging the Chandra Prabhu Jain (CPJ) College of Higher Studies and School of Law, Narela.
Immediately after an image of the question paper surfaced on social media, the University Registrar, Satnam Singh said that the university ‘regretted’ the question and has decided to delete it. Singh further assured that the students will not be marked for the question.
The Controller of Examinations (Operations) of the Indraprastha University, Delhi, took cognisance of some media reports regarding the question asked in the examination held on December 7 for LB-205 ‘Law of crimes-1’ and constituted a committee to look into the issues involved and submit a report within 10 days,” said a statement from the varsity.
The varsity officials said the question has been deleted. It will also issue an advisory to examiners not to ask such questions,” he had said. “No marks will be awarded for the question. Those who are setting the question paper will be issued an advisory that such questions are not asked in the future. If anyone is found guilty in the matter, they can be debarred from the examination process,” said a varsity official.