Controversy erupts as B.Sc textbook includes section on ‘merits’ of dowry

AN image of a page from a book titled 'Textbook of Sociology for Nurses', by T.K. Indrani, went viral on various social media platforms due to its listing of the dowry system's "merits and advantages".  This included such "advantages" as dowry helping in the establishment of a new household in the gifting of utensils, clothes, mattresses and televisions, and that "ugly-looking" girls may be married off by means of dowry. The textbook also attempted to argue that the practice of dowry aids in girls' education, and helps them in receiving a share of their parental property as dowry.

The listing of such advantages comes at a time wherein India still witnesses the evil of dowry deaths, with almost 7,000 dowry deaths having occurred in 2020. It may also be noted that the giving or taking of dowry itself is legally prohibited by the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, with the harassment of women for dowry a punishable offence under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, and dowry deaths are punishable under Section 304B of the Code.

The book has been prescribed for second year B.Sc. students. It has been reported that the book was written per the suggested syllabus of the Indian Nursing Council.

The image was circulated and criticized by many, including Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi of the Shiv Sena, who called upon the Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan to remove such books from circulation.

The MP, echoing the sentiments of a significant number of social media users, wrote a letter to Pradhan that the inclusion of such content is "derogatory", "problematic" and "regressive", and endorses "outdated ideas". Further, she stated that the publishing of such matter is a "shame for the nation and its Constitution." She also highlighted the importance of ensuring that textbooks that are prescribed in educational curricula can under no circumstances include "anti-women" content, and steps should be taken to prevent recurrence of the same.

In light of the controversy, a complaint was raised by the Trained Nurses Association of India with the publishers of the textbook, requesting that the text in the image be withdrawn from the book.

Following the complaint, the national body regulating nurses as well as nursing education in India, the Indian Nursing Council, released a statement distancing itself from the publication of the controversial content in the textbook, stating that its duties are limited to the prescription of syllabi, as opposed to the official endorsement of any particular publication or author. The Council also strongly condemned any content that is derogatory in nature, or violates the law of the land in any way.

This is not the first time that textbooks have discussed the advantages of dowry – a textbook prescribed as reading material for an undergraduate course at a reputed college in Bengaluru described dowry as a "a useful and effective method" for "attracting good, handsome, and sometimes unwilling boys for marriage", in 2017. Similarly, a textbook prescribed for Class 12 students in Maharashtra, also in 2017, contained statements similar to those listed in the currently controversial textbook – that dowry is a useful method for "ugly and handicapped" girls to be married.