Calicut University’s Move to Include Islamic History in English Degree Course

Kozhikode: In yet another bid to create sensationalism, Kerala state’s Calicut University plans to include Islamic studies as complimentary paper along with English degree course. A meeting has been called for in the University comprising of members of English Board of Studies and Islamic History Board of Studies. It has also been clearly pointed out that communal interests stand in the forefront of including Islamic studies.

Currently Journalism, Public Administration, Social and Cultural History of Britain, English for Communication are the subjects included in the syllabus for English degree courses. It is into this well planned syllabus that children are to forcibly fed with Islamic studies, which happens to be no way connected with English, directly or indirectly. No other university in Kerala has Islamic History as part of English degree course.

Sources have reported that majority of the members of two boards of studies are associates and leaders of CKCT, the teachers’ union of Muslim League. It is with the strength of this swooping majority that the Islamists plan to implement and further many of their agendas. However, to implement the inclusion of Islamic studies, permission has to be obtained from the Academic Council and Dean of Language. The move is to exercise influence of Muslim League and procure permission.

Meanwhile the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad has staunchly opposed the move and has called it a move based solely on communalisation. “They must discard their plans. Islamic History and English Literature have no remote connection even. Let us not forget that a poem by the recently slain Al Qaeda leader was included in the syllabus for Contemporary English, before he was slain. The move to give ‘Aided Status’ to Arabic Colleges is also being seen as part of ‘Greenization’,” said ABVP state secretary A Prasad.

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