Despite the order of NMC, the old idea of virginity test is still there in medical books (Photo source-
Vinod Kumar Menon. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has given clear instructions that all unscientific and discriminatory notions related to 'virginity' should be removed from medical studies. Despite this, many forensic medicine textbooks being taught in the current academic session still contain outdated and inaccurate descriptions that indirectly justify the infamous 'virginity test'. Forensic experts have expressed serious concern over this.
Earlier, so-called 'signs of virginity' were mentioned in forensic medicine books. These included things like hymen, vagina, labia, clitoris and width of the vagina. 'Fingertest' was also taught in these books, in which one or two fingers were inserted to see whether the woman was 'addicted to sexual relations or not.' According to experts, these methods have no scientific basis and violate a woman's dignity, privacy and physical rights.
Clear instructions from NMC
According to Dr. Inderjit Khandekar, Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, MGIMS, Sevagram, NMC has clearly stated in the new CBME course guidelines released in September 2024 that these so-called signs of virginity are wrong and have no scientific or legal significance. The NMC also directed that medical students be trained to tell courts that such tests are illegal and unscientific, even if the court orders investigation.
Despite improvements, old content in books
NMC changed the syllabus of Undergraduate Forensic Medicine in 2022. It was clearly written that all tests related to virginity are inhumane, discriminatory and unscientific. After this, authors and publishers were also instructed to remove this material from the books.
But in the review of many recent books it was found that in some places only superficial changes have been made. At the beginning of the chapter it is written that the finger test is wrong, but in the inner pages the same old details are present almost intact.
Many books still divide women into categories such as 'virgin', 'falsevirgin' or 'deflorated'. "Saying that a test is wrong but teaching its results is dangerous. There is no medical way to know a woman's sexual history," Dr Khandekar said.
It is also written in some books that finger test should not be done in rape cases, but it can be done in cases of marriage disputes or divorce, which experts say is completely wrong.
why is there a delay
According to Dr. Khandekar, the NMC instructions had come by the end of 2022. These changes should have been reflected in books published in 2024 and 2025, but the old content is still present. He raised the question that if a test is inhuman in rape cases, then how can the same test be correct in cases related to marriage. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other international organizations have already made it clear that virginity test has no scientific basis and is a violation of human rights.
A forensic teacher of a city medical college said that we clearly tell the students not to use words like 'addicted to sexual relations'. This test is unscientific and should neither be performed nor recorded. Dr. Rajesh Dhere, Secretary of the Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine, said that strict monitoring of medical-legal books is necessary because the courts rely on them.
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