[Reader-list] More on foreign scholars curbs in India... (fwd)

[Patrice Riemens]

----- Forwarded message from Frederick Noronha <fred at bytesforall.org> -----

Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 08:44:04 +0530 (IST)
To: goa-research-net at goacom.com
Subject: [goa-research-net] NEWS-FEATURE: Nothing academic about it....



NOTHING ACADEMIC ABOUT IT

A new home ministry
guideline restricting
foreign participation
in conferences confounds
Indian academics.

By RAJESH JOSHI
---------------------

IS Indian security now under threat from foreign academics? Or is the NDA
government just out to curb academic freedom, which Indian universities so
value? The teaching community is up in arms over a 'secret' home ministry
circular which has made "political clearance' mandatory for holding
international seminars and conferences. 

For university and college teachers, who thrive on the seminar and lecture
circuit, the ramifications of such an order are nothing short of blasphemous
and seem in tune with the BJP-led government's "hidden agenda".

According to this order -- issued by the ministry of home affairs on
September 1, 2000, and circulated by the HRD ministry on January 18, 2001,
to the registrars of all universities and deemed universities -- this
clearance is required especially for participants coming from all
neighbouring countries except Nepal.

The move has left academics stunned. as one Jawaharlal Nehru University don
put it: "This will hamper academic freedom and is aimed at exercising
greater government control over educational institutions."

It was only nine months after it was issued that the circular came to the
notice of the academic community, in May 2001. The JNU Teachers' Association
(JNUTA)was the first teachers' body to take note of it and issue a statement
of criticism. In fact, when former JNUTA president Kamal Mitra Chenoy came
across the circular and raised the issue in JNUTA, the executive committee
members were not even aware of such an order.

The circular issued by the home ministry's foreigners division (No.
25022/40/97/F.IV) makes prior permission for holding international seminars
compulsory if:

* The subject matter of the conference being organised is political,
semi-political, communal (sic) or religious, or is related to human rights.

* The conference is proposed to be held in areas covered under
protected/restricted or inner-line regime.

* The conference includes participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China,
Pakistan or Sri Lanka.

In addition, organisers of an international seminar have to obtain
"political clearance" from the ministry of external affairs if "the subject
matter of the conference has a bearing on external relations or the
conference includes participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China,
Pakistan or Sri Lanka". 

This last is particularly confounding because, as Chenoy points out, even if
one were to go by the government's foreign policy, India has good diplomatic
relations with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. "In this backdrop, restricting
scholars from these two countries does not make sense," he says.

What has fanned the academics' ire is the strange proviso in the circular
wherein "NGOs and UN agencies do not require prior clearance from the
ministry of home affairs". "If there are security considerations behind such
government control," comments one official, "then the entire purpose is
defeated because NGOs can be the best facade for anti-national activities."

				-x-x-x-

ACADEMICS are viewing the move as undue "ministerial interference" in the
functioning of universities. "As it is," says Chenoy, "there is enough
control; any seminar has to be cleared from the HRD ministry." Others feel
the government already exercises huge control over appointments in th
universities; and fresh rules will further restrict their autonomous
functioning.

Says S.S.Rathi, president of the Delhi University Teachers' Association:
"Certainly the new guidelines will hamper academic interaction, whatever the
subject matter of the conferences and seminars. It also affects the freedom
of expression the academic world should enjoy.

"Academics is one sphere where total transparency should be allowed. It's
not a healthy move and the government must reconsider it." Rathi has decided
to join hands with other colleagues in resisting the government guidelines.

Meanwhile, the circular already seems to be taking its toll. Sources in the
academia and government confirm that foreign scholars are facing problems
getting visas ever since the new guidelines came into force. As a matter of
fact, some months ago, a few American academicians had written a letter to
the 'Economic and Political Weekly' complaining how difficult it was for
them to get a visa to India even for academic work. Something that will only
do more harm than good to the cause of research and scholarship.

Says a JNU professor: "Many foreign scholars work on Indian culture,
history, etc. But with the government guidelines in place, they'll be viewed
with suspicion." 

In typical officialese, the circular dictates that "a foreigner
participation should not be generally considered to attend conferences of
political, semi-political, communal or religious nature or those related to
human rights or sensitive technical subjects which can be utilised as a
platform for any particular line of propaganda...."

Outside the academic world, politicians too have begun to take notice.
Congress Rajya Sabha member Eduardo Faleiro, for instance, is planning to
raise the issue in the coming session of Parliament.

"The government claims that this circular is meant to simplify procedures.
This is patently incorrect. This move is against the SAARC spirit which
encourages cultural contacts between SAARC countries. Unfortunately, this is
the only region where there is little interaction; now it's sought to be
reduced even further."

Agrees a Delhi University professor: "As it is, SAARC is not doing well,
given defence and security bottlenecks. Now this government seems hell-bent
on enforcing this division on academic issues as well."

In the coming session of Parliament, some Opposition MPs are planning to
demand a white paper from the government on the topic, 'Which is India
increasingly becoming a police state'.

Says Faleiro: "The government owes the national an explanation as to what
has happened in the last two-and-a-half years that has prompted them to
introduce measures such as these guidelines."

Some other activists are preparing a PIL challenging the government decision
in a court of law. Legal luminaries, however, are not very optimistic about
its outcome considering courts usually do not interfere with government
decisions relating to 'security' matters.

On their part, officials in the home and HRD ministry justify the move on
the ground that such decisions are not taken "in a vacuum". Pressed for
comment, sources in Murli Manohar Joshi's HRD ministry say they have nothing
to do with the guidelines. "As the nodal ministry," an official spokesperson
told 'Outlook', "we only circulated the home ministry guidelines to various
universities."

Says P.D.Shenoy, additional secretary in the home ministry: "Did you try to
find out what happens when our academics and scholars go to countries like
Pakistan?" Clearly implying that even Indian scholars face the same
difficulties when they go to the neighbouring countries. This, say experts,
reveal the level of mistrust in the Indian subcontinent.

There's division developing within the academic community too, along
ideological lines. While the Leftists are attacking the move vehemently,
pro-BJP teachers' associations are measured in their reactions.

Says Dr N.K.Kakkar, president of the pro-BJP National Democratic Teachers'
Front: "Normally such conferences do require clearances. There must have
been some background to the decision. It's a sensitive issue and I would
offer a detailed comment only after going through the circular."

Which for the moment seems set to create another 'tehelka' in the coming
monsoon session of Parliament beginning July 24. Already in the line of fire
for saffronising educational institutions, the new guidelines promise to
generate much heat and vocal exercise. (Outlook, June 18, 2001. Pg 26-27)

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