New Books Network Debaditya Bhattacharya, "The Indian University: A Critical History" (Orient BlackSwan, 2025)
Sep 19, 2025
Debaditya Bhattacharya, a literature teacher and researcher at Jamia Millia Islamia, dives deep into the complexities of Indian universities. He challenges the myth of ancient universities like Takshila and Nalanda while examining the colonial and postcolonial influences on today’s educational landscape. Bhattacharya critiques the NEP 2020 for pushing a platformized approach that undermines public trust and funding. His insights pave the way for reimagining how universities serve diverse communities, blending history with contemporary issues.
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Firsthand Experience Of Reform Harm
- Bhattacharya recounts entering Delhi University in 2010 amid semester reforms affecting 80 colleges and 55,000 undergraduates.
- He describes widespread ad-hoc teaching contracts and abrupt policy imposition with no consultation.
Policy Ignored Classroom Realities
- Debaditya Bhattacharya shifted from literature to higher-education policy after experiencing disruptive semester reforms at Delhi University.
- He argues policy often ignores teachers' and students' historical and social contexts.
Publicness Connects ‘Indian’ and ‘University’
- Bhattacharya rejects a single ‘idea’ of an Indian university and reframes the question around publics.
- He links Indianness and universitarian character through the concept of publicness.
