Muslim A ‘Language', Urdu, Bangla Missing
New Delhi: Delhi University's recently launched undergraduate admission form on its Common Seat Allocation System portal has sparked outrage after glaring errors were discovered in its mother tongue section.
Among the most shocking discrepancies was the inclusion of Muslim as a language option—a misclassification that left students, parents and educators baffled.
The controversy deepened as some prominent languages, such as Bangla and Urdu, were missing from the list, leaving many applicants in a state of confusion.
To make matters worse, terms like Bihari and mochi were listed as languages, which led to questions being raised about the form's accuracy, cultural sensitivity and the competence of those who prepared it.
Parents and students struggled to select an appropriate option, unsure of how to proceed in the absence of their actual mother tongue. Sharing her ordeal, an 18-year-old DU aspirant from Kolkata, who was raised in Delhi, expressed her frustration. "I was trying to fill the form, but I can't proceed because Bangla is not listed. I tried multiple times until Friday morning, but the option still wasn't available. I will try again later in the day, and I hope the issue is rectified by then," she said.
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In response to the growing backlash, DU officials said it was a "clerical error" and claimed to have rectified the errors later in the day. However, the issue triggered strong reactions from within the university community.
Abha Dev Habib, associate professor at Miranda House and general secretary of Democratic Teachers' Front, highlighted the dangerous "communal" implications of the error. "Under mother tongue, the form omits Urdu entirely while listing Muslim as a language.
Is it beyond the university's understanding that Muslims speak the same languages as others from their regions? Urdu is officially recognised under Eighth Schedule of Indian Constitution.
This must be condemned, accountability fixed and corrections made with an apology," she said.
Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an elected member of DU's Executive Council, echoed similar concerns and condemned the lapse. "It is extremely sad and unfortunate that a premier central university like Delhi University is committing such mistakes.
These errors must be rectified immediately. The rich diversity and multilingualism of our country need to be acknowledged and respected," he said.
T
he controversy quickly spilled onto various chat groups, where screenshots of the form went viral. Students, teachers and concerned citizens took to various platforms, demanding immediate correction and an official apology from the university administration.
Rudrashish Chakraborty, associate professor at Kirori Mal College and an elected member of Delhi University Teachers' Association, also criticised the administration. "This is a brazen attempt to create an 'other' out of the largest minority community in the country and poison the minds of innocent applicants. It is a serious threat to Constitution of India, violating both Eighth Schedule and the inclusive ethos of a central university," he said.
Chakraborty further argued that even the terminology used was inappropriate for official documentation. "The term mother tongue is imprecise; native language would be more suitable in administrative contexts," he suggested.
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