CBSE Book Consider 'Modern Girls' As Selfish And Self-centered Beings

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The book 'Current Essays and Letters' which is written by Purabi Chakraborty, M.A. (Eng.), B.Ed., D.E.L.T., that defines a 'Modern Girl' in a most conventional was!!

For a girl living in 21st century with our own central government sloganeering for girls right by "Beti Bachao, Beti Badhao" rally, it's jarring to see an essay steeped in backward thinking about so-called modern girls that can be found in a textbook intended for CBSE, ISC, ISCE, secondary and higher secondary students. Our society is far from perfect but till our education system keeps on making such thinly veiled misogynist statements where the very concept of freedom for women is sneered at and called selfish we really can't establish a just society.

The essay begins as, "They no longer are shy, obedient or homely but talks to male friends freely and enjoy all the pleasures of life that usually were only men's".

It can't be termed as any essay that can just be ignored after all there are countless such texts making more appalling statements than this but the point is that those texts don't reach young, malleable minds through an institution known as school. Young kids don't need such texts that consider the modern girl as self-centered and selfish and other very biased and misogynist statements. The idea of freedom for girls should not be something that comes with other biased ideas that such girls are self-conscious, follows actors blindly and only care about fashion.

The essay is a classic case of male patriarchy been reinforced through taunts and very delusional statements that only speaks about such girls "imitating the male in fashion, ambition and professional endeavors". It doesn't even consider equality as a major force behind girls wanting something that is as basic human right but downright claims that such girls apes the men.

This essay also makes a divide and then strengthens it between the modern girls and the traditional ones. The tone that it sets degrades modern girl whereas considers the traditional one the usual submissive wife or daughter. It's funny how you can easily claim that traditional garments are not the part of our wardrobe, thanks for checking our whole wardrobe out.

Apparently, the author also thinks that modern girl means a girl who is only after materialistic things like hairstyles, dresses, parties, cinema shows, concerts, etc. Such girls also talks and makes friendship with boys easily. She is also self-centered with little to no time for her family members.

Freedom for girls is given a twisted concept of someone who is materialistic, selfish and who apes and follows all the latest trends blindly. If this essay had been published way back, everyone would have agreed because of blatant hatred with everything western and a nationwide boycott of British from clothes to thoughts and blind acceptance of traditional values. But in this time and era, we live in a different world where our connectivity has increased, our ideas have broadened and our concept of this world has changed.

We are talking about raising a generation on texts that is liberal, believes in equality, equal opportunity and always promotes basic human rights. Texts like these not only destroy this purpose but brings the stereotypes in our education which should never be the case. Education is the soul of our society and should be handled keeping in mind the sensitivity and impressionable minds of the kids that reads and learns from them.