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Student Challenges Gender Bias in English Exam
2 Apr
Summary
- Student questioned gender stereotypes in exam dialogues.
- Exam asked for conversations on cooking and future plans.
- Student is also a national-level rifle shooter.
Mahima Keerthana, an Intermediate second-year student from a government junior college in Kachiguda, Hyderabad, has written to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. Her letter, emailed on Tuesday, March 31, raises concerns about gender bias in the recent second-year English exam.
Keerthana pointed to two dialogue-writing questions that she believes perpetuate gender stereotypes. One question involved a mother and daughter discussing cooking, while another featured a father and son discussing future plans.
She questioned the implication that cooking is solely a female responsibility, even in modern times. Keerthana advocates for educational content that promotes equality.
She shared her personal experience, noting that both her parents cook, and she enjoys it. However, she also excels in sports, being a national-level rifle shooter and a state champion in Under-19 rifle shooting in 2023.
Keerthana stressed that education should instill values of equality and expressed disappointment over the biased questions, hoping for future corrections.
