New Delhi: Excerpts from a class XII Physical Education textbook, titled "Health and Physical Education" written by Dr VK Sharma, defining 36-24-36 as the "best body shape for females" has created an outrage on social media.
The book has been published by Delhi-based New Saraswati House, is taught at various schools affiliated to CBSE.
CBSE, however, clarified that it "does not recommend any books by private publishers in its schools".
"36-24-36 shape of females is considered the best. That is why in Miss World or Miss Universe competitions, such type of shape is also taken into consideration," read an excerpt from the chapter "Physiology and Sports" which is going viral.
In a statement, the CBSE said, "Schools are expected to exercise extreme care while selecting books of private publishers and the content must be scrutinised to preclude any objectionable content that hurts the feeling of any class, community, gender, religious group. Schools have to take responsibility of the content of the books prescribed by them," as per PTI.
Various Twitter users shared picture of the mentioned text and demanded that the publishers withdraw the content and schools replace the book in their curriculum.
The HRD Ministry had last month said that CBSE has no mechanism to evaluate the quality of textbooks of private publishers.
"There is no mechanism to evaluate the quality of textbooks of private publishers. The Central Board of Secondary Education has no mandate to prescribe or recommend the textbooks of private publishers in its affiliated schools," Minister of State for HRD Upendra Kushwaha had said in response to a written question in Lok Sabha.
(With PTI inputs)
