Nursing body distances itself from textbook listing ‘advantages’ of dowry system

In a page from the Textbook of Sociology for Nurses that went viral on the internet, author TK Indrani has cited girls’ education as one of the so-called advantages of the dowry system.

The Indian Nursing Council has distanced itself from a textbook for Second-Year BSc students that lists the "merits and advantages" of the dowry system. In a notification issued on Monday, the national regulatory body for nurses and nurse education in India clarified that it “only prescribes syllabus for various nursing programs” which is published on its website.

The Indian Nursing Council said that it “strongly condemns any derogatory content which is against the prevailing law of the land.”

“Indian Nursing Council as a policy does not endorse any author or publication nor has allowed any author to use the name of Indian Nursing Council for their publications,” the statement read.

The nursing council added that it “strongly condemns any derogatory content which is against the prevailing law of the land.”

In a page from the Textbook of Sociology for Nurses that went viral on the internet, author TK Indrani has listed the "merits and advantages" of the dowry system, a practice that involves the transfer of durable goods, cash, and real or movable property, usually from bride's family to the groom's, as a condition of the marriage. It is a punishable office under Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code.

The book says that "dowry is helpful in establishing new household" as "custom of giving household items like cots, mattresses, television, fan, refrigerator, utensils, clothes and even vehicle are found in many parts of our India as dowry."

The book has cited girls’ education as one of the so-called advantages of the dowry system.

“Because of the burden of dowry, many parents have started educating their girls. When the girls are educated or even employed, the demand for dowry will be less. This is an indirect advantage," the book reads.

As per the book, "ugly girls can be married off with attractive dowry with well or ugly looking boys".

On Monday, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan seeking action on the contents of the book.

In her letter, Chaturvedi said, “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.”