Maharashtra: Two-finger ‘virginity test’ to be removed from medical textbook; know what it is

The most controversial topic which hit the headlines a few months ago is back in news ‘virginity test’ and this time it has to bring good news to all the aspiring doctors in Maharashtra as the ‘two finger virginity test’ has been removed from their syllabus. According to the TOI, a curriculum panel of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) has approved to remove the chapters from the textbooks.

Earlier, a petition was filed by a Wardha doctor that this test violates human rights, is unscientific and doesn't help in a sexual assault investigation. Maharashtra is the first state in India to take this step of removing the chapter from the syllabus. As per the reports, in April, the Board of Studies took this decision while the final decision is yet to come by the academic council of MUHS.

“Yes, a preliminary decision to remove the two-finger test has been taken. The recommendation will be placed before the academic council. The test has long been found to lack a scientific basis,” said Dr KD Chavan, registrar, MUHS.

Those who don't know what is a virginity test, it is a practice to know whether a woman has had intercourse or not. In Kanjarbat community it is a mandatory custom where a bride to go through two finger virginity test just to see whether she had intercourse or not. It is a regressive belief to quote a girl as “impure” if she lost her virginity.

However, this test doesn't hold any relability as there are other reasons for the hymen to break, not just by sexual intercourse. More than that two-finger test is based on subjective observation and is completely unscientific which leads to character assassination of a woman.

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