Sonia Gandhi raises CBSE English passage issue in Lok Sabha, demands apology

CBSE has issued a clarification stating that the matter will be referred to subject experts for considered views.

The controversial statement made in a passage of CBSE Class X English paper has found its way into the Parliament with Congress President Sonia Gandhi raising her objection over the said passage in the Lok Sabha. Congress President has termed the passage as "blatantly misogynist" and demanded an apology from the Board and the government over it.

For the past few days, several opposition leaders inducing Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have raised their objection over the passage used in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 10 CBSE English paper.

Priyanka Gandhi has alleged that the BJP government endorses these retrograde views on women, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi she wrote on Twitter: “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?”

Many people have objected to the said passage and have alleged that Class 10 CBSE English paper is anti-women as it says that children and servants must be taught their place and women gaining some independence destroyed parents authority over children. “Entire passage is so stupid. Who are these idiots setting question paper in CBSE?,” wrote a Twitter user.

In the first line of the passage, it is written for the woman that she lives in her own world. Whereas in one line it has been said that today's women do not listen to their husbands. At the same time, it has been written in one line that in the twentieth century, children became less, which was the result of feminist rebellion.

NSUI: CBSE Paper shameful & utter disgusting

The student wing of Congress, National Students Union of India (NSUI) commenting on the Passage said that CBSE's English question paper is very shameful & utter disgusting. “Through the new education policy, the Modi government is working to promote the misogynistic ideology of RSS, we will continue our fight for #ShikshaBachaoDeshBachao against this narrow mindset,” it stated in a statement.

Some of the parents have also objected to the said statement and have alleged that such passage by CBSE seems to support regressive notions on family and allegedly promotes gender stereotyping.

Issuing a clarification over the said passage, CBSE stated: “The matter will be referred to subject experts for considered views as per the preset procedures of the board. As regards the correct answer option and the answer key released by the board, it is clarified that if the experts opine that the passage elicits multiple interpretations, appropriate action will be taken to protect the interest of the students.”

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