A viral video showing the principal of Delhi University’s Laxmibai College applying cow dung to the walls of a classroom has ignited a wave of controversy and debate across social media platforms. The principal, Dr. Pratyush Vatsala, who appears in the video actively taking part in the application process, defended her actions by citing an ongoing research project rooted in traditional Indian knowledge systems.
Speaking to PTI, Dr. Pratyush Vatsala explained that the activity was part of a scientific study titled “Study of Heat Stress Control by Using Traditional Indian Knowledge”. She emphasised that the research which is currently being conducted in portable cabins on campus is still underway. As part of the process, she herself coated one of the walls, asserting there is “no harm in touching natural mud”, and lamented the criticism as a result of incomplete information being circulated prematurely.
The clip shared by the principal herself in a college WhatsApp group shows her alongside staff members, claiming the aim was to cool classrooms using traditional, eco-friendly methods. In a message accompanying the video, she assured faculty and students that these rooms would soon offer a refreshed, comfortable environment for teaching and learning.
However, the act has not been universally welcomed. Criticism has poured in, including from Vijender Chauhan who gives coaching to UPSC aspirants and he has questioned the credibility such practices lend to the institution.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Vijender Chauhan expressed concern over the professional prospects of students graduating from a college where such experiments are led by top administrators. He questioned whether employers might think twice about hiring from an institution embracing practices they consider outdated or unscientific.
Here is the video:
https://x.com/masijeevi/status/1911432610099642593
Click to watch this video directly on X
Social media reactions ranged from sarcastic remarks about the future of education in India to pointed critiques about promoting superstition in academic settings. One user humorously claimed that if cow urine were made compulsory in colleges, India would be unstoppable in its quest to become a global guru.
Laxmibai College, situated in Delhi’s Ashok Vihar and administered by the Delhi government, has long been recognised as a prominent women’s institution. Named after the iconic freedom fighter Rani Lakshmibai, it consists of five academic blocks but the cow dung application is limited to one block only.
As the debate continues to unfold, it remains to be seen whether the initiative will be viewed as an innovative environmental experiment or a controversial misstep in modern academia.
