A massive controversy has erupted at Vidyasagar University in West Bengal after a history exam paper referred to Indian freedom fighters as “terrorists,” prompting widespread outrage and a public apology from the university. The contentious question, part of the sixth semester BA Honours history exam, asked students to name three Midnapore district magistrates “killed by terrorists” during British rule, referring to revolutionaries like Bimal Dasgupta and Jyotijiban Ghosh who targeted British officials James Peddie, Robert Douglas, and Bernard Burge in the 1930s.

Vice Chancellor Dipak Kumar Kar called the reference a “printing mistake” overlooked during proof reading, stating, “Once the paper was circulated, corrections were not possible.” He has ordered a detailed investigation by the controller of examinations. However, the explanation has failed to quell public and political backlash, with critics demanding accountability.

BJP’s Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari labeled the error “absolutely outrageous,” alleging it was a deliberate distortion of history under the TMC-led government. He pointed to a similar incident in 2023 and criticized the lack of action against Dr. Nirmal Kumar Mahato, Head of the History Department, who was promoted despite the earlier oversight. “Is this TMC’s endorsement of labeling freedom fighters as terrorists?” Adhikari questioned on X.

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TMC’s Kunal Ghosh distanced the party from the controversy, calling for an investigation into who approved the paper, while CPI(M)’s Sujan Chakraborty and Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury condemned the terminology as “unthinkable” in independent India. Academic Pabitra Sarkar echoed the sentiment, decrying the colonial lens applied to revolutionaries.

Adding to the university’s woes, a BA Honours Political Science exam was canceled on Friday for being out of syllabus, with fresh tests scheduled for next week. The repeated errors have fueled accusations of incompetence and ideological bias, with civil society and descendants of freedom fighters, like Ronojit Dasgupta, expressing dismay.

The controversy, amplified by protests from groups like ABVP, who burned an effigy of the Vice Chancellor, underscores tensions over historical narratives in West Bengal, especially ahead of the 2026 elections.

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