The University of Delhi has clarified that Manusmriti will not be taught in any of its courses. In an official post on X, the university stated that the text, which was listed as "recommended reading" in the Sanskrit department's four-credit course Dharamshastra Studies, has been removed entirely. The course has now been deleted from the curriculum.
Introduced under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Dharamshastra Studies paper also included texts like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, and Arthashastra.
The decision comes amid recurring debates around the inclusion of Manusmriti in academic syllabi. Earlier in March, Delhi University Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh had said that the text would not be part of any study material at DU, following approval by a history department panel to include it in the History (Honours) syllabus.
A similar controversy arose last year when the Faculty of Law proposed introducing Manusmriti to law students, a move later withdrawn after facing protests from faculty members.
Reaffirming the university's stance, Vice Chancellor Singh told Hindustan Times, "Our stand remains the same. Manusmriti will not be taught in any course in DU. The university had made that clear in the past as well. The text has been removed from the Sanskrit department's Dharamshastra Studies. In the future also, whenever it comes to our notice that the text has been suggested for studying, the administration will remove it."