A whiff of the controversy surrounding Delhi University’s infamous decision to scrap A.K. Ramanujan’s essay on the Ramayana from its history syllabus in 2011, found itself back to the campus on Tuesday. Students taking the “Culture in India-Ancient History” paper were surprised to see a question that has its genesis in the banned essay, “Three Hundred Ramayanas – Five examples and three thoughts on translations”.
“The question was: ‘Evaluate the different versions of the Rama story with reference to Kampan, Jain and South-East Asian tellings.’ There is nothing in the syllabus that was sufficient for the students to answer the question. So, many left it,” said a teacher Rina Ramdev, whose students informed her about it. Second-year students taking English (Honours) under the old three-year undergraduate course were the ones taking the paper under the discipline-centered course where they have to take a paper from other subjects.
There were unconfirmed reports that the same question had been asked in the same paper last year.
“The question is surprising since the ban created quite a controversy,” said History teacher Dr. Nirmal Kumar, who was trying to verify whether only the essay was banned or the topic altogether was dropped in the ensuing confusion.
Usually, the department picks three teachers to set questions for one paper. They have to sit together and produce three sets. Out of these sets, another committee comprising post-graduate and college teachers pick the question paper, which is finally used. “The element of secrecy is maintained at all times,” added Ms. Ramdev.
There were some who said the question could be answered without directly referencing the essay. “A lot of others have written about these topics too,” said History teacher Mukul Manglik.
