`Indisciplined women to male chauvinist pig’: Why CBSE is drawing fire for Class X English question paper

Central Board of School Education (CBSE) is drawing flak for promoting misogyny.

CBSE’s class 10 English comprehension passage has shown women in a very poor light. 

“Wives stopped obeying their husbands and that is the main reason children are indisciplined…Women gaining independence is the main reason for a wide variety of social and family problems,” reads the passage.

“Emancipation of the wife destroyed the parent’s authority over the children. The mother did not exemplify the obedience upon which she tried to insist.  In bringing the man down from his pedestal the wife and mother deprived herself, in fact, of the means of discipline,” it adds.

The question paper goes on to ask students to comment on the tone of the passage. One of the options to choose from was” “Writer is a male chauvinist pig”.

The passage sparked a storm on social media prompting CBSEto to remove the passage from the exam. Now, all the students will get full marks for the passage. Considering there are different sets in the exam, CBSE has decided to award full marks to all students for the passage irrespective of the set of the question papers. This claims CBSE will ensure “parity” and “uniformity”.

The matter also reached parliament where Congress president Sonia Gandhi demanded an apology from the government.

 “Clearly the BJP Government endorses these retrograde views on women, why else would they feature in the CBSE curriculum?,” said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

CBSE said a passage in one set of the English paper of CBSE Class 10 first term examination has received mixed reactions from a few parents and students. “They  (parents) stated 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 set procedures of the board,” said CBSE.

The board has also assured students that “appropriate action will be taken to protect the interest of students”.