Hindus in Jamia Millia Islamia face ‘acid attack, rape threats’ for resisting conversion efforts: Report
Jamia Millia Islamia University faces allegations of discrimination against non-Muslims and coercive conversions, as reported by NGO Call for Justice. The university claims past administrations mishandled issues but aims for inclusivity under current leadership.
The Jamia Millia Islamia University has been accused of discriminating against non-Muslims and religiously forcing conversions, a report by the civil rights group “Call for Justice” has pointed out. It mentions a pattern of bias at the varsity as well.
Reacting to the report, the university said that perhaps previous administrations had handled matters in a certain manner, but the present administration is committed to making the place all-inclusive.
What the report said?
The report provides illustrations where discrimination had been perpetrated against non-Muslim students and teachers. They narrated how deep-rooted bias and religious identity-based prejudice marred the campus life.
For example, the report cites taunting and insolence meted out by Muslim colleagues to an Assistant Professor. The report also captures a case where a non-Muslim faculty belonging to Scheduled Caste was deprived of basic amenities like office furniture.
Then, an assistant controller of examinations was openly ridiculed for holding a senior administrative post when he was not a Muslim
The report also focuses on harassment of the tribal students and faculty which consequently led to many leaving the university.
The report claims some Hindu students, professors, and staff who resisted the conversion process received threats of acid attacks and rape. According to ZEE News, some exams were failing deliberately against Hindu students, forcing them to convert. These actions were reportedly carried out by some Muslim faculty members and students.
What did the University say?
The Jamia Millia Islamia University responded to the accusations with a statement that upheld its commitment to inclusiveness and condemned all forms of discrimination. The university stated that previous administrations may have mishandled similar issues but they assured that, under Vice-Chancellor Professor Mazhar Asif’s leadership, efforts are underway to create a fair and inclusive environment.
The administration has also pointed to empowerment movements regarding the marginalized by filling key positions with non-Muslim members from the SC community.
Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) is one of India’s biggest public research universities, based in Delhi. Constituted in 1920, it was initially established in Aligarh and became a central university in 1988. The recent allegations about the discrimination against students and employees from non-Muslim backgrounds, forced conversion, and so on, have been termed serious by an NGO with a 65-page report. The university administration has rebutted these allegations, stating that it ensures absolutely inclusive safety conditions for all students.
What is Jamia Millia Islamia doing to create an inclusive environment?
Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has undertaken some initiatives to promote an inclusive environment:
Equality, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy: Establishes equal opportunities and prohibits discrimination on different grounds, thus allowing a friendly environment for all members of the community.
Internal Complaints Cell (ICC): Along with gender discrimination and harassment, the ICC has arranged to file complaints, ensuring proper reporting and redressal mechanisms1.
Accessibility Initiatives: JMI has introduced an electric vehicle for differently-abled students to improve accessibility across campus.
Merit-based and need-based scholarships to underrepresented groups, including marginalized communities are provided for at JMI.
These measures show that JMI is on the way to a diverse and equitable educational environment.
What has Jamia Millia Islamia been doing to make campus more accessible to disabled students?
Jamia Millia Islamia has undertaken numerous initiatives to make its campus friendly for students with disabilities:
E-Vehicle Initiative: The university was gifted three-wheel electric vehicles making the mobility of students with physical disabilities convenient while allowing them to move freely on campus.
Accessible Infrastructure: JMI has adapted its buildings with ramps and lifts to ensure easy access for students with disabilities across the campus.
Policies of Equal Opportunities: The EDEI policy of the university mentions reasonable accommodations and support services available for disabled students as part of measures toward offering equal opportunities3 .
These approaches help in creating an accessible environment for all.
How does the Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy contribute to accessibility programs?
Jamia Millia Islamia has a very significant function through the Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy to heighten the accessibility programs for students with disabilities. Through the CSEIP, organizations donate an electric vehicle to improve mobility for a physically challenged student5. CSEIP also supports the university’s Equality, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (EDEI) policy, which seeks to ensure that provisions of reasonable accommodation across campus and removal of barriers6. It also held an awareness program on promoting campus inclusivity and realizing the needs of students with disability are being addressed successfully.
What has been the effect of the Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy towards inclusive policies?
Its efforts in the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at Jamia Millia Islamia have been sizeable enough to make inclusive policies:
Research and Documentation: CSEIP conducts interdisciplinary research on social exclusion, which produces knowledge added in informing the field of policy and advocacy geared toward excluding groups.
Training Programs: The Centre organizes workshops and training for the people to make them aware of and to empower the marginalized sections with legal rights as well as social benefits.
Resource Hub: This Centre is a resource hub for the students, researchers, and the civil society organizations to make available resources and access information and expertise on issues related to social inclusion.
These activities contribute to the development of more comprehensive and effective inclusive policies within the university and beyond.
How do the Centre’s initiatives measure up in terms of success?
The Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSEIP) at Jamia Millia Islamia measures the success of its inclusive policy initiatives through a variety of methods:
Surveys and Feedback: CSEIP conducts surveys among students on their experience with regard to inclusiveness and access. In this manner, it will help develop and improve areas of need.
Data Analysis: CSEIP tracks what it is doing through diverse metrics like numbers of underrepresented groups in programs and activities.
Impact Assessments: There are periodic assessments carried out to check if policies are serving their purposes by using both qualitative and quantitative data in framing improved strategies.
These methods ensure that CSEIP can update and update its policies effectively.
READ ALSO: 15 Best places in Europe for a perfect family trip
READ ALSO: Top 15 best things to do in Seattle (
How does the Centre address and bridge the gaps in its inclusive policies?
The Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Jamia Millia Islamia addresses and bridges gaps in its inclusive policies through a wide array of methods:
Data Collection and Analysis: CSEIP collects demographic information along with surveys in its analyses of the experiences of marginalized groups, which helps pinpoint areas to be improved15.
Focus Groups: In-depth discussions with focus groups provide more qualitative insights into the needs and experiences of students dealing with barriers1.
Periodical Evaluations: The Centre periodically reviews policies and practices to identify bias or shortcomings to keep inclusivity at a priority15.
These policies facilitate the process of on-going improvement in making a learning space inclusive for all students.
What trainings does it offer to ensure inclusion?
The Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Jamia Millia Islamia, offers the following trainings to enhance inclusion:
Workshops and Seminars: CSEIP delivers workshops of Social Inclusion by targeting concerns of excluded groups and enabling steps for effective engagement.
Capacity-Building Programs: These programs aim to build teachers’ and community development professionals’ capacities for creating more inclusive learning environments.
Research-Based Training: CSEIP bases curricula for its training on research-based findings, whereby interventions are always anchored to best-practice principles.
The programs are aimed at sensitizing and enhancing the effective implementation of inclusion policies in different sectors.
What challenges does the program face in developing teachers for inclusive education?
The program addresses the challenges teachers face in the application of the concept of inclusive education through the following strategic approaches:
Comprehensive Training: The Postgraduate Diploma in Inclusive Education train teachers on skills and knowledge regarding inclusion, current policies, and effective teaching methods to help diverse learners.
Curriculum Adaptation: Teachers are trained to alter the forms of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to help meet the diverse needs of all children so they can succeed in an inclusive classroom.
Collaborative Models: It supports collaborative teaching models, including co-teaching under which general and special education teachers work collectively to offer individualized services.
Networking: It facilitates networking among educators, allowing them to learn from one another and share experiences about effective practices in inclusive education.
These approaches together empower teachers with the strength of overcoming barriers in order to create effective inclusive learning environments.
What are the strategies by which the program ensures that the skills developed can be transferred to life practice?
A number of key elements of the Postgraduate Diploma in Inclusive Education enable the teachers to apply their new knowledge in practice as follows:
Blended Learning Approach: This allows online or distance education complemented by on-campus learning, thereby enabling the teacher to engage in theoretical as well as practice situations.
Hands-On Workshops during face-to-face components-the teachers participate in intensive group work and workshops that aim at real-world application of inclusive practices.
Curriculum Adaptation Training: It trains teachers on the ways in which to modify curriculum and instruction strategies for individualized diverse learning needs so that they may be able to use them in the classroom.
Networking: The program connects participants with experienced teachers and practitioners, enabling them to share insights and strategies for effective implementation.
Together, these elements of the program empower teachers to transform their learning into active practices within the context of their educational environments.
What role do mentorship and coaching play in the success of the program?
In that sense, mentorship and coaching contribute to the success of the inclusive education program in the following ways:
Personalized Support: Mentors provide personalized support by helping teachers apply new skills effectively in their classrooms to address specific challenges they face in implementing inclusive practices.
Skill Development: Coaching focuses on enhancing teachers’ competencies through real-time feedback and practical application, fostering a deeper understanding of inclusive education strategies.
Building Confidence: Both mentorship and coaching boost teachers’ confidence, encouraging them to experiment with new approaches and fostering a culture of continuous learning within the educational environment.
Networking Opportunities: These programs connect educators with one another, enabling the sharing of best practices and collaborative problem-solving that enhances the teaching environment as a whole.