Delhi University has officially removed Manusmriti from its Sanskrit syllabus following criticism over its inclusion in a course on Dharmashastra. Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh confirmed that the text will not be taught in any form across the university. The book was recently recommended in a four-credit course titled “Dharmashastra Studies” under the Department of Sanskrit. The course, launched under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UCF) in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, included works like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, and Arthashastra as well. However, the mention of Manusmriti, a text often criticized for its contentious views on caste and gender, triggered protests from both students and faculty members. Following the backlash, the university quickly took down the mention of Manusmriti from the syllabus. The university assured: “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.” This is not the first instance of Manusmriti being rejected by institutions at Delhi University. In July 2024, the university also rejected the idea of including both Manusmriti and Baburnama in the history syllabus, highlighting that such inclusions would not be entertained at any point in the future as well.
