Wardha: From Sewagram, where Mahatama Gandhi set up his ashram and resided from 1936 to 1948, comes the news of a doctor, Indrajit Khandekar, who has decried the infamous virginity test as unscientific and demanded that the topic be removed from the curriculum of medical education.
Dr Khandekar said questions on the subject continue to be asked in their papers. “Virginity test is part of the second-year curriculum of MBBS students and questions on the subject are being asked in the examinations. Define virginity tests, state their aim and explain their medico-legal importance, define who is a true virgin and who is not, are questions routinely asked,” said Dr Khandekar.
The head of the medico-legal department at the Mahatma Gandhi Ayur Vigyaan Sanstha, Dr Khandekar, has sent a report on the subject to the Indian Medical Council and Dr Kalidas Chauhan, the vice-chancellor of the Maharashtra Health Sciences University. Dr Chauhan has assured he will bring up the matter before the medical curriculum committee.
Virginity tests are widely used as a tool to violate the human rights of women. In many communities, it continues to be practised. “There is no medical research supporting the validity of virginity test, which has been part of medical education for decades. That is why I demand this test be scrapped and be removed from the curriculum,” said Dr Khandekar.