NEW DELHI: Delhi University’s undergraduate admission form sparked widespread outrage on Thursday after discrepancies were found in its “Mother Tongue” section. “Muslim” appeared as a supposed language among the listed language options—an inaccurate categorisation that has left many baffled.
What has amplified the anger is the absence of Urdu, a language recognised under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and commonly associated with cultural and literary heritage, especially among North Indian Muslims.
The DU is yet to issue an official statement.
Abha Dev Habib, DTF general secretary, said, “This is not just a clerical error. It reflects a deep-rooted communal mindset that reduces an entire community to a religious label, stripping away linguistic, cultural and regional identities. Muslim is not a language. Muslims speak the same languages as others in their regions, be it Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, or Urdu.”
Dr Mithuraaj Dhusiya, Executive Council member, said, “It is sad that a premier university like Delhi University is committing such mistakes. These should be rectified immediately. Diversities and multilingualism need to be acknowledged and respected.”
Social media platforms were abuzz with screenshots of the form, with students and teachers demanding an immediate correction and apology.
Other DU professors said omitting Urdu, the mother tongue of millions, is not just a linguistic oversight but a political statement.