‘Unbelievable’, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Slams Govt Over CBSE’s ‘Anti-Women’ Question in Class X Exam

New Delhi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has lambasted the government and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) over a passage asked in CBSE Class 10 English question paper. Earlier on Saturday, CBSE had conducted the English exam wherein a comprehension passage had sentences like “emancipation of women destroyed the parent’s authority over the children” and “it was only by accepting her husband’s way that a mother could gain obedience over the younger ones”.Also Read – CBSE Class 10 English Paper 2021 Has No Error: CBSE Issues Clarification Amid Complaints From Students, Teachers

These sentences triggered a controversy with politicians, parents, and academics criticising the board for supporting ‘misogynistic opinions’.  Calling the use of such sentences in the passage “unbelievable”,  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra asked, “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?”

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

Lakshmi Ramachandran, a spokesperson of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, said, “This outrageously nonsensical reading passage appeared in the 10th CBSE board exam paper today. What are we teaching our children? CBSE has to give an explanation and tender an apology for inflicting our children with this”.

“Class 10 CBSE English paper today says children and servants must be taught their place and women gaining some independence destroyed parents authority over children. The entire passage is so stupid. Who are these idiots setting question paper in CBSE,” a Twitter user wrote on the microblogging site.

CBSE Issues Clarification 

After facing flak, CBSE issued a clarification which read,“A passage in one set of the English paper of CBSE Class X first term examination held yesterday has received mixed reactions from a few parents and students stating that “it seems to support regressive notions on family and allegedly promotes gender stereotyping. The matter will be referred to subject experts for considered views as per the pre-set procedures of the board. As regards the correct answer option and the answer key has been 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.”