Send us your CV: JNU tells Romila Thapar

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has asked eminent historian Romila Thapar, who is a vocal critic of the Narendra Modi government, to provide her bio-data to decide on whether to retain her as professor emerita in the prestigious institution.

The JNU registrar Pramod Kumar has written to the 87-year-old historian last month asking her to submit the document so that a university-appointed committee could evaluate her work and consider whether to continue her as professor emerita.

According to JNU's website, the university has 25 academicians, including economist Prabhat Patnaik and political sciences expert Zoya Hasan, who has been designated as professor emeritus/emerita. The post carries no financial benefits but the academic is provided with a room at the institution.

The letter has enraged and surprised the academic community as academicians of eminence usually are not asked to submit curriculum vitae. Also once appointed, he or she continues in the post for life.

Academicians believe that the move is "politically motivated" as Thapar is considered as a vociferous critic of the Modi regime. She had opposed the BJP on several counts and stood against the government, accusing it of crushing dissent in educational institutions, including the JNU.

The JNU said it was following its ordinance in letter and spirit in the appointment of ‘Professor Emeritus’ at JNU.

"As per the ordinance, the university is required to write to all those who have attained the age of 75 years to know their availability and their willingness to continue their association with the university. Letters have been written only to those emeritus professors who fall in this category. Writing these letters as per the ordinance is not for discontinuation but for an informed review by the executive council, the highest statutory body of the University," it said in a statement.

Thapar, who was a professor of ancient Indian history in JNU between 1970 and 1991, has been a professor emerita since 1993. Prior to that, she taught the same subject in Kurukshetra University in 1961-62 and in Delhi University between 1963 and 1970.

Her books include 'The Past before Us: Historical Traditions of Early North India', 'The Aryan: Recasting Constructs, Three Essays' and 'Somanatha: The Many Voices of a History'. Several of her books and articles question the RSS view of history.

She was also awarded the Kluge Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the field of history in 2008.