JIH says that the latest fiat making it mandatory to seek prior government approval for holding international webinars and virtual conferences is an obstacle to academic progress in the country.
India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—Expressing serious concern over the central government’s latest fiat to all government educational and research institutions to take prior approval for international webinars and conferences, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s (JIH) Markazi Taleemi Board (Education Board) has said that the government’s move in this regard amounts to serious obstacle to academic progress.
Markazi Taleemi Board chairman Nusrat Ali, in a statement, demanded immediate withdrawal of the new order in the interest of research and academic growth in the country
Taking strong objection to the circular asking all government entities, including public sector undertakings, public-funded universities and institutions controlled and run by the central and state governments to get prior approval from the union government for organizing any online or virtual international conferences, seminars and training programme, Mr. Nusrat Ali remarked that the order amounted to “openly curbing the basic freedom of citizens”.
He said that “the order will hamper access to latest thoughts on social sciences, stifle scientific discussion and put obstacles in the path of younger generation who wish to explore new vistas of humanities, science and technology”.
“This will lead to a decline in our academic progress as we will be deprived from seeking the best international expertise”, he stated.
“On the one hand, the government in its National Education Policy-2020, wants India to rise as a world leader in the field of education, on the other hand, it issues curb orders, undermining our country’s credibility and research process”, Mr Nusrat Ali said.
Demanding to keep universities and all other educational institutions away from politicization and bureaucratic control, Mr Nusrat Ali said, “The government must adhere to the commonly accepted fact that universities are places for the contest of ideas and thoughts. They flourish when given freedom and a global outlook”.
The Markazi Taleemi Board is a department of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind that runs and manages schools all over the country, produces textbooks in various languages, organises training programmes for teachers and undertakes various endeavours to improve the standard of education in the country.
