A collective of students from Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) has sharply criticized the recent decisions by Indian universities—including MANUU, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)—to cancel or suspend academic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with institutions in the Republic of Türkiye.
In a statement released on Thursday, the MANUU chapter of the Azad United Students’ Federation (AUSF) condemned what it described as a disturbing trend of allowing political and ideological considerations to dictate academic collaborations. The group termed the move “a dangerous conflation of geopolitical tensions with academic cooperation.”
“These cancellations go against India’s civilizational values of dialogue, diversity, and cross-border knowledge exchange,” the statement said. “India has historically engaged in intellectual partnerships even during periods of political strain. To shut the door now, under vague allegations or political pressure, is deeply regressive.”
The suspensions are believed to be linked to concerns raised by Indian authorities over support for Pakistan by certain elements in Türkiye. However, critics argue that no transparent evidence has been presented and that such claims are being used to enforce ideological conformity on university campuses.
“The fight against terrorism must not become a fight against academic freedom,” AUSF said. “Suspending ties in the name of nationalism damages India’s global academic standing and risks turning our universities into ideological outposts—RSS shakhas—that mirror the narrow vision of authoritarian forces.”
The student group called for an immediate reversal of the decisions, warning that the erosion of international academic ties could isolate Indian scholars and undermine the autonomy of institutions of higher learning.
“Let our universities remain centers of knowledge,” the statement concluded, “not echo chambers of political propaganda.”
