A comprehension passage in the Std X CBSE English question paper triggered a storm of protest and outrage for gender stereotyping and a regressive view.

The passage was rightfully dropped but some of the statements were shocking to say the least. Some of the lines in the comprehension passage had read: ‘What people were slow to observe was that the emancipation of the wife destroyed the parents’ authority over the children.’ Another read: ‘In bringing the man down from his pedestal, the wife and the mother deprived herself in fact, of the means of discipline.’ While measures have been taken and the board has assured students will get full marks after the passage was pulled, this is disappointing at the Std X level.