Preface
Introduction
Some thoughts on university education / Romila Thapar
On the political economy of educational 'reforms' / Prabhat Patnaik
Beyond instrumentality: restoring the spirit of higher education / Avijit Pathak
The idea of a university and Its leader: a gadamerian perspective / Binod Kumar Agarwala
The challenges that a university confronts in India today / D.V. Kumar
"UGC and JNU " : a tale of exceptions told in two acts / Ayesha Kidwai
Higher education and the social sciences in a 'smart India' / Maitrayee Chaudhuri
The spring of 2016 and the idea of JNU / Rajat Datta
The idea of university in a princely state : reflections on the century old Osmania University / K. Srinivasulu
Nationalism in besieged spaces / Sajal Nag
Universities as gendered institutions / Vijaylakshmi Brara
Social contract of public university: equality, social justice and democracy / V. Bijukumar.