The ritual to conceive a male child and how the caste system “protects Hindu culture” are lessons from a history textbook listed as reference material by the Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University for its BA students. The Marathi book, Bhartacha Itihas (Indian History), describes the conceiving ritual in a chapter on social development or ‘Samajik Vikas’, under the subhead Sanskar or values. Dr Asaram Khade, the Maharashtra PCPNDT Act consultant, had written to the joint secretary, public health, Government of India, regarding the supposed violation of the PCPNDT Act in the syllabus. Although the history book wasn’t published by the University, it is listed as a reference book. “It’s unsettling to know that a university named after a great social reformer is endorsing such a text,” said Borhade.

Source: Hindustan Times May 27, 2017 17:37 UTC