Indian Nursing Council condemns BSc textbook stating 'merits of dowry', initiates action

NEW DELHI: After the contents of a book for second-year BSc students containing “merits of dowry” drew flak on social media, the Indian Nursing Council (INC) has condemned the use of its name by publishers and authors for sale of textbooks with “derogatory” content.

The INC in its latest notice said, “It has been brought to the notice of the Indian Nursing Council that some authors of Sociology for Nurses are quoting INC syllabus to publish substandard content in textbooks. INC strongly condemns any derogatory content which is against the prevailing law of the land.”

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Condemning the “derogatory” content related to social evils such as dowry, the INC further clarified that it “only prescribes syllabus for various nursing programs which is placed on its website. Indian Nursing Council as a policy does not endorse any author or publication nor has allowed any author to use the name of the Indian Nursing Council for their publications.”

A day before, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan seeking action on the contents of the book.

In her letter, Chaturvedi said 'Textbook of Sociology for Nurses', authored by TK Indrani, lays down “merits and advantages” of the dowry system.

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As per the book, "Ugly girls can be married off with attractive dowry with well or ugly looking boys". "It is appalling how such derogatory and problematic texts remain in circulation. That a textbook elaborating the merits of dowry can actually exist in our curriculum is a shame for the nation and its Constitution.”