India’s Universities Lack the Freedom to Excel

The abrupt resignation of an economics professor from a prestigious private university has highlighted concerns about academic freedom in India. The country will never be a “vishwaguru” (teacher to the world), as Prime Minister Narendra Modi often boasts, unless the government stops silencing dissenting voices.

https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/economics-professor-resignation-ashoka-university-threatens-india-higher-education-aims-by-milan-vaishnav-2023-08

#universities #education #AcademicFreedom #AshokaUniversity #SabyasachiDas #ElectoralFraud #2019elections #research #BJP #hindutva #india

Universities – The BJP-RSS’s Killing Fields

What’s unfolding in Ashoka University reflects the ascendancy of a fascistic state. No country can be self-reliant if its universities are effectively destroyed and reduced to coaching centres.

https://www.newsclick.in/universities-bjp-rsss-killing-fields

#AshokaUniversity #universities #education #AcademicFreedom #RSS #BJP #HinduNationalism #hindutva #india

Next was an interesting talk by Farzana Afridi on women, work, and the role of technology at #AshokaUniversity. Afridi presents a thorough examination of how women spend their time in agricultural households in India, and through observational and experimental data demonstrates gendered differences in new technology effects on labor allocation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNeAv-M7elk (6/7) #gender #work #India

Intelligence Bureau at Ashoka University, Wants to Probe ‘Democratic Backsliding’ Paper

IB officials arrived Monday to speak to former faculty member Sabyasachi Das, and unsuccessfully tried to speak to others from the economics department after learning he was not on campus. A second visit was then set for Tuesday.

#AshokaUniversity #IntelligenceBureau #SabyasachiDas #BJP #ElectoralFraud #2019elections #democracy #AcademicFreedom #FreeSpeech #research #hindutva #india

https://thewire.in/education/intelligence-bureau-at-ashoka-university-wants-to-probe-democratic-backsliding-paper

320 economists from 91 institutions extend support to Prof Das, demand his reinstatement

As many as 320 economists from 91 institutions across the country have extended their support to Prof Sabyasachi Das, whose paper suggesting voter manipulation in the 2019 elections sparked a controversy.

#AshokaUniversity #SabyasachiDas #ElectoralFraud #2019elections #BJP #AcademicFreedom #censorship #hindutva #academia #education #india

https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/320-economists-91-institutions-extend-support-prof-das-demand-his-reinstatement-181243

Ashoka University faculty sets two conditions before carrying forward teaching obligations

The faculty also asked the management to desist from interfering in academic work.

#AshokaUniversity #SabyasachiDas #PulapreBalakrishnan #ElectoralFraud #2019elections #BJP #research #academia #education #dissent #censorship #repression #hindutva #india

https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/ashoka-university-faculty-sets-two-conditions-before-carrying-forward-teaching-obligations/cid/1959437

"But a university with deep values, whose roots can withstand the winds of a hard, ideological politics, cannot be created merely by throwing money at land and hiring the “best” from around the world. That requires courage and a sense that an institution cannot bend, that every time someone “resigns” under pressure, your university comes one step closer to being just another shop in the market." #AshokaUniversity https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/ashoka-university-and-the-hypocrisy-of-liberal-branding-8646715/

Economics Dept Says Ashoka Governing Body ‘Interference’ Forcing Scholars to ‘Operate in Environment of Fear’

Department wants Sabyasachi Das reappointed, sets deadline of August 23; English and Creative Writing Departments also release a statement in solidarity with the economics department, stipulating the same demands.

#AshokaUniversity #SabyasachiDas #research #2019elections #ElectoralFraud #dissent #academia #education #BJP #universities #democracy #UnionGovt #india

https://thewire.in/education/econ-dept-says-ashoka-governing-body-interference-forcing-scholars-to-operate-in-environment-of-fear

Ashoka University criticised for dissociating itself from professor’s paper on election manipulation

His research raised the possibility of manipulation in favour of the ruling BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

#SabyasachiDas #AshokaUniversity #2019elections #ElectionManipulation #BJP #democracy #dissent #research #academia #muslims #hindutva #india

https://scroll.in/article/1053658/ashoka-university-criticised-for-dissociating-itself-from-professors-paper-on-election-manipulation

RT @AshokaUniv@twitter.com

Ashoka University hosted Professor Ruth Harris, for the second lecture of the Inspire Lecture Series on 24th January, 2023. She delivered a lecture on "How did Vivekananda become a Guru in America?".

Watch the full lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-HlfQf4fTE

#AshokaUniversity

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/AshokaUniv/status/1618254608400547840

turning turning ashoka is turning
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RT @somakrc
I’m honoured to have been appointed to lead the most exciting institution in liberal arts and sciences in India today. #AshokaUniversity https://twitter.com/ashokauniv/status/1590660913086230528
https://twitter.com/somakrc/status/1590711495088025602

Say what? I thought we used to call that colonisation
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RT @AshokaUniv
Collaboration, communication, problem solving and critical thinking are crucial for employability today. Read this eye-opening article by our founders Pramath Raj Sinha (@PramathSinha) and Ashish Dhawan (@AshishDhawanTCF) in The Economic Times.

#AshokaUniversity
https://twitter.com/AshokaUniv/status/1559429376340803584

RT @ranjona@twitter.com

What to do?
Their disingenuous support of the BJP, Narendra Modi: downright unconscionable.
Then they changed tack.
Now pay the price for being critical and/or part of an organization that encouraged critical thought.
But apparently not. #PBMehta #ASubramanian #AshokaUniversity

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/ranjona/status/1372771411559780354