RAIPUR: Sparking yet another controversy, class X social science text book in Chhattisgarh states abortion as a remedy for population control. The chapter on population explosion also claims that women in India have high fertility rate due to hot climate.

It's the same text book of Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education (CGBSE) that had triggered controversy in September this year for its content quoting "working women are one of the causes of unemployment in country".

Curious students reported and questioned after reading the content on page number 211 in the book that says, "As remedy of population explosion: For safe abortion modern hospitals and nursing homes, equipped with necessary facility should be set up in large number which will help reduce birth rate."

24-year-old Soumya Garg, who is volunteering as teacher to tribals, said that students at age of 15-16 have ignited minds that need right guidance but CGBSE textbooks’ contents instil concepts of gender inequality and violation of human rights.

"While all books are supposedly re-read and printed every year with updates, age-old content is rather simply being copy-pasted in the name of new edition. When students approached me questioning authenticity of abortion as remedy for population control, I found that abortion in our country is condition-based and can't be used as a tool to control population. State Council of Educational Research and Training should look into it," she said.

CGBSE and SCERT draw flak: Talking to TOI, Sulakshana Nandi of Public Health Resource Network, who has been extensively working on issues related to women and children's health, condemned the quality of content and those responsible for it saying, "The chapter has more than one problem that's factually wrong and extremely prejudiced. Access to contraceptives and safe abortion services need to be seen as right to quality health services and not to be clubbed with the very negative and crass concept of population explosion."

Enraged over other issues, Nandi further said that high fertility rate due to hot climate is responsible for population explosion while reduction in famines and epidemics the reason for fall of death rate! "What logic is this? There seems to be no quality check and people writing for social science text books don’t seem to have knowledge about demographic transition. They need to have some scientific skill. It's dangerous for students."

Endorsing Soumya and Sulakshana's concern, Chhattisgarh Right to Education forum convener Gautam Bandhyopadhyay said that women should have the right to decide if she wants to go for abortion. "The content is misleading and will be misunderstood irrespective of what the writer intended to express. Rather, usage of contraceptives and safe abortion when required should be promoted," he said.

Sanjay Ojha, SCERT director:

"Soon after TOI's report on 'Working women cause of unemployment', SECRT has asked assistance from UNICEF for reviewing of content in textbooks from Class 1-12. UNICEF has tied up with a Delhi-based NGO Nirantar for six months to assist SCERT. Meanwhile, I assure to get this abortion content re-edited or removed from text book from next session, till then teachers may explain to students accordingly."

Ojha explained that these books were written in 2008-09 in haste by CGBSE and were outsourced to retired officials. "While we are trying to improve the quality of content, coming sessions will have books with gender and culture sensitivity," Ojha assured.