‘Nation’s Dignity Above Academics’: Kanpur University Scraps MoU With Turkish University – News18

Last Updated:May 15, 2025, 15:27 IST

The Vice Chancellor of Kanpur University cancelled the MoU with a Turkish university, citing national sovereignty over Turkey’s stance following Operation Sindoor.

Vice Chancellor of Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU), Prof Vinay Kumar Pathak, has announced the cancellation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Turkish university, citing national interest and concerns over Turkey’s stance following Operation Sindoor.

Pathak shared that the agreement was initially signed in November 2023 after a visit to Turkey. “I went to a conference in Turkey, went to a university in Istanbul and met their rector Zulfikar. We signed an MoU in November after a discussion for combined research,” he told news agency ANI.

However, the developments after Operation Sindoor, where Turkish drones were reportedly spotted in India, prompted a serious rethink. “When we saw after Operation Sindoor that drones of Turkey have come to India and Turkey is acting like the enemy of India, we immediately cancelled the MoU and informed them that academics are not greater than the sovereignty and dignity of the country. We will not do MoU with any enemy country,” the Vice Chancellor said.

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Prof Pathak, who also serves as the President of All Indian Universities, said he has urged his peers to take similar action. “I have written in the group of Vice Chancellors that if we have any MoU with any of the enemy countries — Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey or any other — they must be immediately revoked,” he said.

He further advised Indian scholars and students to reconsider academic engagements with such nations. “I suggest that our people should not go to these countries since their economy depends on us,” he added.

The MoU between CSJMU and Istanbul University was a general agreement aimed at facilitating student and faculty exchange programmes.

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