Amravati University students can write exam on book dropped from BA syllabus for being ‘anti-govt’: Bombay HC

In a significant development in the Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University syllabus controversy, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has allowed students to choose between the dropped Marathi novel, Te Pannas Divas, and its replacement, Dhag, for their upcoming BA examinations, resolving a petition that challenged the last-minute change.

Hearing a writ petition filed by students, Justices Anil S Kilor and Raj D Wakode took note of the grievance that Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University had replaced the novel just weeks before the semester exams, despite it being taught throughout the academic session.

Early last month, SGBAU Amravati, Maharashtra, removed Pawan Bhagat’s Te Pannas Divas, a novel set during the Covid-19 lockdown, from its BA syllabus for Marathi, replacing it with Uddhav Shelke’s Dhag. The latter was written in 1960 and addresses poverty in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region.

The decision, taken through an academic council vote, had drawn criticism from the author, sections of the Marathi department, and student groups, who flagged both concerns of academic freedom and the timing of the change just weeks before exams.

Bombay HC gives a choice

The court recorded that teaching for the semester was already over and based on the earlier syllabus and that students had prepared accordingly. The petitioners argued that the newly-prescribed novel had not been taught in the academic session at all.

During the hearing, the state university’s registrar was present in the court as a respondent. The court directed the university to issue a circular giving students an option while filling exam forms.

While hearing the issue related to BA Part II Semester IV Marathi Literature course, the court said, “Each student will be examined as per the option exercised by him or her at the time of filling the examination forms.”

The bench observed that this solution would “not cause any hardship” to any of the students.

With this, the court disposed of the petition, noting that the issue is now resolved.

New Marathi literature syllabus stands

The All India Students’ Federation (AISF), which supported the petition, termed the development a “victory of its legal battle”. In a statement, the organisation said the university had originally prescribed Te Pannas Divas for the 2025-26 academic year and required at least 60 lectures to teach it, but replaced it just weeks before exams, leaving insufficient time to cover the new text.

AISF said it moved the Bombay High Court arguing that students had neither been taught the replacement novel nor had access to it, which would have caused “academic loss”. The group welcomed the judgement allowing students to choose between the two texts, calling it a win for students and for literature that reflects the struggles of the working class.

The HC’s order does not cancel the university’s decision to replace the book. Instead, it gives students of the present batch a solution: students who studied Te Pannas Divas can still write their exam on it, while others can choose Dhag. This ensures students are not affected by the last-minute change before exams.

Kashinath Barhate, chairman of the Marathi Board of Studies at Amravati University, said in a statement, “Overturning well-considered decisions of Boards of Studies solely through majority voting in Academic Councils can be harmful to students in the long run. This case is a clear example.” He also thanked members and faculty for their support during the course of the struggle.

The novel is also part of Mumbai University’s postgraduate syllabus.