The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Monday dropped a controversial question from a paper in the Class 10 board exams after a row erupted over it and the board was accused of reinforcing gender stereotypes.
The CBSE said it will award full marks for the question to students and announced that an expert committee will review the question setting process to avoid such lapses.
In a statement that it tweeted later in the day, the CBSE regretted the “unfortunate incident”, saying it is “committed to equity and excellence in education and promotes inclusiveness and gender sensitivity”.
The controversial question, which appeared in the reading and comprehension section in the english language and literature paper, carried passages about how wives being disobedient to their husbands inculcate indiscipline among children.
“Women gaining independence is the reason behind a wide variety of social and family problems,” said one of the passages from the paper. “Wives stop obeying their husbands and that is the main reason children and servants are indisciplined.”
“... the emancipation of the wife destroyed the parents’ authority over the children,” read another.
The exam was conducted on Dec 11 and in the notice issued by the CBSE’s Controller of Examinations Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj, the education body said that after feedback from stakeholders it sent the matter to a committee.
It said the question was not “in accordance with the guidelines of the Board”.
The question led to a major row. Congress president Sonia Gandhi raised the issue in the Lok Sabha and said the material was “regressive”, “misogynistic” and demanded an apology from the Centre.
“The entire passage is riddled with such condemnable ideas, and the questions that follow are equally nonsensical. I add my voice to the concerns of students, parents, teachers and educationists and I raise strong objections to such blatant misogynist material finding its way into an important examination conducted by the CBSE,” said Sonia.
She further said that the question reflected poorly on the falling standards of education and went against all norms of a progressive and empowered society.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were among the several politicians who raised the issue on Twitter. “Typical RSS-BJP ploys to crush the morale and future of the youth,” tweeted Rahul.
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