A question in a fourth-semester postgraduate exam conducted by the History Department of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has taken a political turn.
Reacting to the question — “What do you understand by Brahminical patriarchy? Discuss how Brahminical patriarchy hindered the progress of women in ancient India?” — UP Congress State President Ajay Rai said that respect for every caste and social harmony is the hallmark of our society. Educational institutions should be kept away from the politics of hatred and division, he added.
“The use of words like “Brahminical patriarchy” in the MA History exam paper of a prestigious educational institution like Banaras Hindu University is forcing the entire society to reflect. The purpose of education is not to create ill will towards any caste, class, or community, but to make society knowledgeable, sensitive, and united,” he said.
The UP Congress president said, “It is unfortunate that RSS ideology, promoting ideological conflict and caste divisions in society, is being imposed on educational institutions today. The Brahmin community has always stood as a symbol of knowledge, asceticism, education, culture, and spiritual consciousness in India’s eternal tradition. The Brahmin community has always contributed to the advancement of the Vedas, Upanishads, Indian philosophy, Sanskrit literature, and the education system. The Brahmin community has always been and will always be revered. The mindset of insulting or casting suspicion on any caste is against both Indian culture and the Constitution.”
He further said, “Questions and topics that create caste tensions and conflicts within society are being introduced in universities, colleges, and even recruitment exams. For instance, a question calling the Brahmin community “opportunists” was asked in the Uttar Pradesh sub-inspector recruitment exam, triggering widespread controversy. Subsequently, an attempt was made to insult the entire community through the film ‘Ghuskhor Pandit’ that sparked widespread protests, ultimately forcing the filmmakers to apologise and withdraw the title. These types of questions in BHU exam papers indicate that the education system is influenced by the ideological agenda of the RSS.”
The Congress leader said, “The BJP and the RSS want to transform the country’s education system into a medium of ideological control, moving it away from independent thinking and a scientific approach. Subjects like history and sociology are being presented in a way that creates distrust and animosity among young people towards different sections of society. This is a very dangerous trend. The role of universities is to unite society, not to divide it.”
Ajay Rai further said, “Educational institutions should be centres of democratic debate grounded in the Constitution, social justice, and national unity, not political laboratories. History should be taught based on facts, evidence, and a balanced perspective, not in accordance with the ideology of any particular organisation. The continued ideological interference in the education system is an attack on the country’s democratic values and independent academic environment.”
He emphasised that the Congress Party believes protecting the country’s Ganga-Jamuni culture, social harmony, and the dignity of all sections is paramount, stating that any mindset spreading hatred against any caste, religion, or community cannot be accepted. India is a nation of diversity, and this diversity is its greatest strength. If educational institutions push young people towards caste conflict and ideological hatred, it poses a serious threat to the country’s future, he added.
“We demand that educational institutions be kept free from the political interference of the BJP and the RSS. The curriculum and examinations should avoid including such controversial and divisive topics. The country’s youth should be guided not by hatred, but by knowledge, science, employment, and nation-building,” Rai said.
Asserting that the Congress Party will always fight to protect the Constitution, social harmony, and the dignity of all sections of society, he strongly opposed the question and the mindset behind it. He demanded that the university administration immediately withdraw the question and ensure that educational institutions are not used for any political or ideological agenda in the future.