A professor at Delhi's Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) fell into trouble after he set a question in the question paper, which triggered widespread controversy and outrage on social media.

The controversy revolves around a 15-mark question in the BA (Hons) Social Work first-semester exam conducted earlier this week for the paper ‘Social Problems in India’. The question asked students to “discuss the atrocities against Muslim minorities in India, citing suitable examples.”

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Following the incident, there were huge protests by the students, and the university took a 'serious view' of the incident, which it feels is carelessness on the part of the faculty member. The university has subsequently constituted an inquiry committee to probe the matter. The professor, named Professor Virendra Balaji Shahare, has been suspended from the university, an official said.

The official added that the move taken by the university was done to uphold the academic responsibility and sanctity of the institution. An order signed by officiating registrar CA Sheikh Safiullah, and circulated widely on social media, confirmed the suspension "till further orders".

The directive further specified that Prof Shahare’s headquarters during the suspension would be New Delhi, and that he would require prior approval from the competent authority to leave the city. It also noted that a police complaint would be lodged “as per rules”.

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However, university authorities later clarified that there was no immediate plan to file an FIR against the professor. “There is no proposal to initiate any police case against the faculty member. The issue is being reviewed internally by a committee,” an official said, quoted NDTV, clearing the air around the wording of the suspension order.

Meanwhile, photographs of the question paper began circulating on social media on Monday, triggering strong reactions, with several users questioning the phrasing and alleging political or communal bias.

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The controversy further gained traction after Kanchan Gupta, a senior adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, shared the suspension order on X.

"Jamia Millia Islamia is a central university with a mixed student community. The question shows malicious intent," Gupta wrote, criticising the paper setter.

According to NDTV, citing official university sources, the findings of the committee are expected to determine the next course of action of the university.