In a significant academic shift, Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) in Vadodara has launched a new course for its BA (English) program that includes the works of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. This move is part of the university's implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
A New Syllabus for a New Academic Year
The Department of English within MSU's Faculty of Arts has introduced the course titled 'Analysing and Understanding Non-Fictional Writings on Bharat'. This syllabus has been rolled out for the current academic year, 2025-26. Alongside selected writings from Sri Aurobindo and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, the curriculum now features PM Modi's book 'Jyotipunj' and Savarkar's 'Inside the Enemy Camp'.
The course content also incorporates texts by Swami Vivekananda and chosen episodes from the Prime Minister's popular radio program, 'Mann Ki Baat'. This collection aims to provide students with a diverse range of Indian non-fiction perspectives.
An Academic Intervention for Decolonisation
University authorities describe the new course as a deliberate step to connect English literary studies with India's contemporary national goals. Professor Hitesh D Raviya, who heads the English Department and chairs the Board of Studies in English Language and Literature at MSU, explained the rationale behind the change.
He stated that the syllabus represents a confident Indian approach to English studies. The objective is to use the English language as a tool to examine the ideas of India's own leaders and thinkers, moving beyond a traditional focus on colonial or Eurocentric literary canons. Prof. Raviya emphasized that this initiative operationalizes the Prime Minister's call for the decolonisation of Indian education by integrating indigenous intellectual traditions into mainstream university programs.
Wider Implications for Literary Studies
The primary aim of this new course, as outlined by MSU officials, is to critically examine Indian non-fictional writings within the established framework of English literary studies. This marks a pedagogical shift, encouraging students to engage with philosophical, political, and social texts rooted in the Indian context.
This development at one of Gujarat's premier universities is being viewed as a concrete example of the NEP 2020's emphasis on Indian knowledge systems. It sets a potential precedent for other institutions to follow, potentially reshaping how humanities subjects are taught across the country by placing greater emphasis on homegrown thought and literature.
