Chetan Bhagat's book Five Point Someone will now be a part of DU English Literature syllabus

Chetan Bhagat’s books may trigger mixed reactions from different people but the author’s first and bestselling novel Five Point Someone will now be a part of the English literature syllabus in the University of Delhi.

The Indian Express reported that the second-year undergraduate students will study the novel in the Popular Literature paper in the Generic Elective under the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS). The paper is for non-English (Honours) students.

Other popular fiction novels under the paper include Little Women by American novelist and poet Louisa M Alcott, Murder on the Orient Express by English crime novelist Agatha Christie and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by British novelist JK Rowling, according to Hindustan Times .

Not all teachers are happy with the decision to include Bhagat’s book in the paper though.

“There are other popular fictions available, why Bhagat? We have to see it in the context of his political leanings and stand on various issues,” HT quoted a teacher as saying.

“I do not know how this text is supposed to make the students think. I understand that people can read this for leisure, but we shouldn’t be studying it. There is nothing to study in this book. We take the political, social and a lot of other aspects into account while examining a text, but there is nothing to talk about in this book,” The Times of India quoted a Delhi University student as saying.

Chetan Bhagat, while saying that he was “honoured” that his book had been added to the course, reacted in an especially bitter manner to all the criticism of this decision and labelled everyone criticising the decision elitists who were part of “Elitistaan”.

Am honoured DU added my books to their course. Literature is about being open minded, reading the classics as well as the contemporary.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) April 23, 2017

Elitistaan theories trying to diss me and literary value of my books have failed miserably with DU adding my books to their course. Sorry.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) April 23, 2017

To me good literature is writing that actually touches people, whether in the past or now. It isn't something an elitist club decides.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) April 23, 2017

Clearly, Bhagat is angry about the fact that not everyone thinks his book should be studied by students.