'Merits of Dowry': Ugly looking girls can be married off, textbook scripts on Indian dowry system

Chennai: An image from a college textbook listing the merits of the dowry system in India, has gone viral on social media prompting people to think about its message and the way its influences youngsters and society in general.

The page, which several social media users said is from Textbook of Sociology for Nurses by T K Indrani list the"Merits of Dowry" and is a special layout given for nursing students which the cover states it is written as per the Indian Nursing Council syllabus.

The image has four points explaining the merits of dowry, in which one of them states "dowry is helpful in establishing a new household, the custom of giving household items like cots, mattresses, television, fan, refrigerator, utensils, clothes and vehicles."

It also states that dowry is the parental share of property and says that because of the burden of dowry, several have started educating their girls. It adds, "This is the indirect advantage of the dowry when the girls are educated or even employed, the demand of dowry will be less."

The last point in the page mentions that the dowry system can help marry off "ugly looking girls with attractive dowry with well or ugly looking boys."

All across Twitter have called out the book and are shocked by the fact that it is part of their college curriculum.