Vadodara University Introduces ‘Modi Tattva’, RSS Fieldwork in Sociology Curriculum

As part of a broader curriculum revamp, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU) has introduced a new module titled “Modi Tattva” to its sociology catalogue, seeking to “align academic framework with India’s civilisational knowledge, contemporary governance and lived social realities”.

The module will study the concept of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership as part of a course titled “Sociology of Patriotism”. It carries four credits and is structured across four units, with around 60 hours of teaching. The course will be offered to fourth-year BA students and first-year MA students from the upcoming academic session starting in June 2026.

The syllabus will include an analysis of the PM’s electoral performance, public acceptance and governance decisions. Specific policy measures such as demonetisation, digital initiatives, FASTag and the creation of the Jal Shakti Ministry will be studied in relation to public response and governance outcomes.

The new curriculum has been drafted by sociology department head Virendra Singh, who said the course draws on German sociologist Max Weber’s concept of “charismatic authority”, which has previously been used to study leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

Singh is chairperson of the university’s Board of Studies, a member of Vadodara district administration, and involved in a NITI Aayog project monitoring public policy in India.

“Whether you like it or not, you will have to discuss PM Modi in a political field and a leadership role. He is someone who will remain there for a long time,” Singh said. “Modi Tattva treats a contemporary political figure as a case study in charismatic leadership, policy perception and mass connect,” he added, saying that the aim is to examine his leadership in real time rather than retrospectively.

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Sociologies of Patriotism, Bharat and Hindu Society

The module is part of a wider restructuring of sociology education at the university. Alongside “Sociology of Patriotism”, new courses titled “Sociology of Bharat” and “Hindu Sociology” have been introduced. These aim to integrate Indian knowledge systems, nationalism, religion and contemporary governance into the curriculum.

The course also includes content on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which will be studied as a case of grassroots organisation and social mobilisation. Singh said the RSS has been included “due to its values of inclusivity” and based on fieldwork conducted by students in rural Gujarat as part of a NITI Aayog-linked project.

“It was observed that the RSS does not fit neatly into typical categories… yet its presence and influence were visible on the ground,” he said, adding that the course frames the organisation as a subject of sociological inquiry rather than ideology alone.

In addition to contemporary political subjects, the syllabus includes modules on historical figures such as Sayajirao Gaekwad III, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and BR Ambedkar. These are intended to examine leadership, social reform and nation-building within a broader sociological context.

Reactions to the ‘Modi Tattva’ Sociology Course

The development has been met with criticism online, with users questioning the role of academic institutions and the nature of curriculum design. Netizens argued that universities should remain spaces for independent inquiry rather than reflect specific ideological narratives.

In a social media post, Congress leader Tariq Anwar criticised the inclusion of “Modi Tattva” and RSS-related content, calling it “unfortunate” and questioning its place in academic instruction. He argued that organisations featured in the syllabus had no role in the freedom struggle and raised concerns about issues such as unemployment and rising prices.

The university, however, has defended the move as part of an effort to bridge academic research with contemporary governance and social realities. Singh said the intention is to develop a “practice-oriented, inquiry-driven sociology” that reflects both historical depth and present-day relevance.

[DS]

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