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Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda has introduced a new academic module centred on the leadership philosophy of PM Narendra Modi, marking what is being described as a first-of-its-kind addition to a sociology curriculum.

The module, titled ‘Modi Tattva’, has been incorporated into a paper on the “Sociology of Patriotism” offered under the university’s BA and MA sociology programmes, The Hindu reported. It will be taught alongside topics covering the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and historical figures such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sayajirao Gaekwad III.

The inclusion has drawn attention as it places a contemporary political figure within an academic framework typically reserved for historical or theoretical analysis. Sociology department head Virendra Singh said the move reflects the need to examine present-day leadership through established sociological theories.

He noted that the module draws on Max Weber’s concept of charismatic authority, which has previously been applied to leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr..

Singh told The Hindu that the course would explore Modi’s leadership in terms of public acceptance and sustained electoral presence, arguing that contemporary political figures cannot be excluded from academic discourse. “Whether one agrees or not, such leadership must be analysed within political and sociological contexts,” he said.

The paper will be offered to fourth-year undergraduate students and postgraduate students, carrying four credits across four units and involving around 60 hours of teaching. The syllabus will cover themes such as geo-nationalism and cultural nationalism, alongside case studies of policy initiatives including demonetisation, digital governance measures, FASTag implementation and the establishment of the Jal Shakti Ministry.

According to Singh, the design of the course was influenced in part by fieldwork conducted by postgraduate students during surveys linked to a NITI Aayog project in rural areas. These studies, he said, highlighted the role of RSS-affiliated individuals in the delivery of government programmes, prompting the inclusion of the organisation in the curriculum.

The development comes amid ongoing debates over the role of contemporary political figures in academic syllabi and the boundaries between scholarly analysis and ideological framing in higher education.