I am amazed at the idiocy of those who are suggesting the ‘question was not in the syllabus’
LAHORE: Kudos to the committed and contextually astute academic who posed the PTM question in a political science exam at Peshawar University (The Express Tribune, May 3rd edition). This is exactly the kind of inquiry university students should be able to deal with competently and incisively. It does not matter what view a student takes as long as his/her analysis is grounded in theories that I am certain must have been part of the syllabus. I am amazed at the idiocy of those who are suggesting the ‘question was not in the syllabus’ and such babus have no right to call themselves academics.
Of course, it is also important that the instructor be academically competent not to let his views on the PTM movement influence the grade of any student as long as the answer is cogently argued and well presented. This is what distinguishes the social sciences from the physical sciences and the sooner university administrators and teachers understand this the better it will be for Pakistan. Of course, the 'boys' may have a different view being committed only to their skill at making any thinking academic and student disappear!
Professor Wasif M Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, May 5th, 2018.
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