36-24-36 is the ideal body size for women, says textbook
The book referred to is titled 'Health and Physical Education', by Dr VK Sharma
A class XII Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) textbook, finally, has the answer for all ladies who have been wondering what the ideal body size should be. Making a declaration, the textbook has put all speculations to rest, suggesting that the much-celebrated 36-24-36 is indeed the “best” body shape for women. The CBSE textbook, titled ‘Health and Physical Education Textbook’, goes on to assert that even the Miss World and Miss Universe beauty pageants take the 36-24-36 body shape into consideration while choosing a winner. The book also mentions that the ‘V’ body shape is considered best for males. Are we taking students for a ride in the name of teaching?
Not in right taste
According to experts, even this statistic 36… is old; seemingly thinner body types are “in” now. According to Pria Warrick, consultant psychologist, such statements are quite misleading especially for young boys and girls who are very conscious about their looks in their adolescent years. It may even take a toll on their personality, she warns. “I have seen many teenage girls on anti-depressants after they get into an extreme dieting mode to achieve unrealistic body types constantly pushed on by popular media, from TV and internet to magazine covers,” she adds. The need of the hour, more than ever, is to promote a healthy body image that makes the young generation physically healthy and boosts their confidence levels.
Sexist stance
Vijeta Sinha, a teacher, from Sreenidhi International School, Hyderabad, condemns the book as sexist. “I have noticed that girls in their growing up years are extremely vulnerable to any comments about their looks. Textbooks need to be extra careful about what they tell students, she feels. Meanwhile CBSE has filed an FIR against the publisher under Section 6 (indecent representation of women (Prohibition) Act 1986).
Big Q: Shouldn’t CBSE be more careful?
Though HRD minister Prakash Javadekar has called the description of a “perfect female body” in the class XII textbook as purely “sexist” and ordered action against the private publisher, this is not the first time that the CBSE has courted controversy. Recently, the class XII examination paper, asked students to answer which is a better practice between burial and cremation. Blaming “the absence of a central regulating authority that checks and passes all school books before they become textbooks,” social commentator Santosh Desai says, “there should be a certified body responsible for monitoring the content of textbooks”. “Such a body should be headed by objective and responsible individuals who are truly interested in good content and not just in promoting their biased agenda or worldview through textbooks,” he adds.
Students react
- Even if books from private publishers are allowed, they must undergo quality checks to ensure that they don’t spread any wrong message. It is important to see that children are not taken for a ride.
Shubha Tanaya, Delhi School of Excellence, Attapur
- It is the publisher’s work to edit ‘unwanted’ content which may be offensive in nature. They should realise that their books are shaping the minds of future generations.
Aditi Mishra, The Khaitan School
- Books from private publishers should not be allowed anyway because they are more expensive than NCERT books and can be unaffordable for many of the parents.
Himanshi Dhawan, Saffron Public School
- We should have the same books for the entire country. One governing body — maybe NCERT — can check the uniformity of knowledge and content.
Aadrit Banerjee, Apeejay School, Salt Lake, Kolkata