Indian Opposition Accuses BJP Gov't of 'Misogynistic Portrayal of Women' in School Exam Question

A central board exam held on Saturday for Class 10 students, carried a comprehension passage containing phrases like "emancipation of women destroyed the parent's authority over the children", "women gaining independence is the main reason for a wide variety of social and family problems", among other things.

Indian opposition parties such as Congress and Shiv Sena on Monday, slammed the federal government-administered Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) over questions that have sparked a row for "promoting regressive notions about women".

Demanding an apology from the Ministry of Education, Congress President Sonia Gandhi raised the matter in parliament on Monday, saying: "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 blatantly misogynist material finding its way into an important examination conducted by the CBSE...".

"...It reflects extremely poorly on the standards of education and testing, and it goes against all norms and principles of a progressive and empowered society", she added.

The alleged "sexist content and anti-women questions" in the CBSE's Class 10 English examination created a political furore across the country with many, including senior politicians, netizens, and activists, slamming the CBSE officials.

Other politicians, including several from Congress like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, and Shiv Sena parliamentarian Priyanka Chaturvedi, expressed their shock and anger over the text.

Priyanka blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government for supporting "retrograde views on women".

Unbelievable! Are we really teaching children this drivel?

Clearly the BJP Government endorses these retrograde views on women, why else would they feature in the CBSE curriculum? @cbseindia29 @narendramodi?? pic.twitter.com/5NZyPUzWxz

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 13, 2021

Most #CBSE papers so far were too difficult and the comprehension passage in the English paper was downright disgusting.

Typical RSS-BJP ploys to crush the morale and future of the youth.

Kids, do your best.
Hard work pays. Bigotry doesn’t.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 13, 2021

My letter to Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan & Chairman CBSE on the CBSE’s regressive& misogynistic portrayal of women. I have asked for unconditional apology, an explanation as to how this passage was cleared&lastly disciplinary action against the ‘subject experts’ pic.twitter.com/7c24ez1Fwe

— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) December 13, 2021

This is pathetic CBSE!

This is not the idea of India. pic.twitter.com/LHluu9KmBw

— Surya Pratap Singh IAS Rtd. (@suryapsingh_IAS) December 13, 2021

"The emancipation of the wife destroyed parental authority" - - - Victorian bullshit meets Sanghi claptrap. This passage is given to children in the CBSE question paper. Outrageous. #CBSE must mark students full marks on this question by way of apology for such regressive QP. pic.twitter.com/jk1YtzeN1l

— Dr Meena Kandasamy ¦¦ இளவேனில் மீனா கந்தசாமி (@meenakandasamy) December 12, 2021

Later in the day, the CBSE "dropped" the controversial passage that appeared in the Class 10 examination last week.

As the passage in one set of question paper in class X English Exam is not in accordance with guidelines of the board with regard to setting of question papers, it has been decided to drop the question and award full marks to the students for this passage . pic.twitter.com/IHfoUJSy2O

— CBSE HQ (@cbseindia29) December 13, 2021