Manusmriti will not be taught at Delhi University, says Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh after inclusion in Sanskrit course syllabus
The Manusmriti was included as one of the primary texts in the syllabus for a four-credit Discipline-Specific Core course titled ‘Dharmashastra Studies’. It was okayed by the Delhi University’s Sanskrit department.
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(File Photo)After the Manusmriti appeared on the reading list of a new undergraduate Sanskrit course at Delhi University this month, Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh asserted on Thursday that the text will not be taught at the institution “in any form”.
“We will not teach any part of Manusmriti in any form in the University of Delhi. This direction has been issued even earlier by the vice-chancellor’s office, and departments should adhere to it. The department should not have put it down in the first place following these directions,” Singh told The Indian Express.
The Manusmriti was included as one of the primary texts in the syllabus for a four-credit Discipline-Specific Core (DSC) course titled ‘Dharmashastra Studies’, which was approved by the Sanskrit department as part of the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework under the National Education Policy. The course outline also listed texts such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, and Arthashastra.
This is not the first time the Manusmriti has sparked controversy at Delhi University. In July last year, the university withdrew a proposal to include the text in the undergraduate History (Honours) syllabus following objections. At the time, Singh had stated that the university would not entertain content that could foster divisions in society.
The inclusion of the text, widely criticised for its caste and gender-based directives, had drawn sharp reactions from sections of the academic community and student groups, who accused the university of attempting to legitimise regressive ideas.
The renewed appearance of the text—this time under the Sanskrit department’s offerings—has prompted calls for greater scrutiny of curriculum development processes. The vice-chancellor’s latest intervention now signals that the university’s earlier position on the matter stands.
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