DU drops Manusmriti from Sanskrit course after row; VC says text won’t be taught

New Delhi: Delhi University vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh has reiterated that Manusmriti will not be taught in any course at the university, following criticism over its mention in a Sanskrit department paper.

“Earlier also, the administration has said that Manusmriti will not be taught in any course. Last year too the adminstration made it clear that it will not be taught in any form. However, the Sanskrit department suggested a reading containing Manusmriti under ‘Dharamshastra Studies’. The reading stands deleted. If the department wants to teach Manusmriti, then they have to make it differently and they will do it accordingly,” Singh told PTI.

The university also issued a statement on X saying, “University of Delhi will not teach Manusmriti text in any course of the University. ‘Dharamshastra Studies’, the DSC of the Sanskrit Department, where Manusmriti is mentioned as a ‘recommended reading’ stands deleted.”

The move comes after Manusmriti was listed in a four-credit Sanskrit course titled Dharmashastra Studies, introduced under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The course also included texts like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas and Arthashastra.

However, the inclusion of Manusmriti, a text long debated for its views on caste and gender, sparked protests from students and teachers alike.

This is not the first time Delhi University has distanced itself from the controversial scripture. In July last year, the university had rejected a proposal to include Manusmriti and Baburnama in the history syllabus, stating that such additions would not be entertained in the future either.