What was Professor Seema Panwar’s Crime?
Apoorvanand | 07 April 2025 | Frontline
India’s academic community should be greatly concerned that Seema Panwar, a professor of political science at Chaudhary Charan Singh University (CCSU) in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, is being punished for simply doing her job. But there is no sign of any such concern.
Is it because Prof. Panwar teaches at Meerut University, which is seen as a “provincial” university, no longer considered part of the “prestigious” set? Or is it because such incidents are now considered normal in India? Does nothing grab our attention unless someone is jailed, murdered, or subjected to physical violence? We have not seen any statement from a teachers’ association or a student organisation criticising the punishment meted to Panwar. There is possibly a teachers’ association in Meerut University as well, but even that remains silent.