Manusmriti removed from DU curriculum amid protests

Facing criticism from faculty and students, Delhi University (DU) has announced that the Manusmriti will not be included in any of its academic programs.

The move comes after the ancient Hindu text was recently listed as recommended reading for an undergraduate Sanskrit course, sparking widespread backlash.

“Our stand has been clear — that Manusmriti will not be taught in any course,” Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh said.

“Last year, it was suggested that Manusmriti be included in the law syllabus. Back then, too, we had removed it. This time, it had been introduced in the Sanskrit syllabus. As soon as it was brought to our notice, we have decided to remove it,” Singh added.

The university posted a formal update 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 text had appeared as part of a four-credit paper titled "Dharamshastra Studies" under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework, introduced in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Other texts in the course included the "Ramayana," "Mahabharata," "Puranas," and "Arthashastra."

Student bodies also raised objections. Varun Choudhary, national president of the National Students’ Union of India, said, “Including Manusmriti in DU’s syllabus is shameful. It laid the foundation of caste discrimination and injustice against Dalits, women, and the underprivileged.”

This is not the first time Manusmriti has prompted opposition on campus. A similar proposal to include the text in the undergraduate History (Honors) curriculum was withdrawn in July 2024 following protests.

The recent proposal to add it to the Sanskrit syllabus was initiated by the History Department’s Joint Committee of Courses on Feb 19.

Several faculty members had written to the vice-chancellor, opposing the inclusion. While some objected to the text itself, others noted that the syllabus lacked a "critical perspective" necessary for its academic treatment.