The contentious issue of triple talaq (divorcing by pronouncing the word talaq three times in one go) has been included in the syllabus of sociology at Lucknow University.
The decision, however, invited sharp criticism from the Muslim clerics, who said that it would "paint a wrong picture" of the Shariat (Islamic Laws) among the students and must be "dropped".
"Triple talaq has ignited a serious debate in the society... the students need to be taught about the effects of such a system on the society... there is nothing wrong in its inclusion in the syllabus," said a varsity official while speaking to DH here on Thursday.
He rejected the contention that such controversial issues should not be made part of the syllabus.
Sunni cleric and senior All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangimahali, however, decried the decision.
"We are not against the teaching of topics like marriage, divorce and other social systems... but to teach only about triple talaq will portray the Shariat in the negative light," he said.
The cleric said that there already was a lot of misconception about triple talaq in society. "The current debate on triple talaq does not convey the truth," he added.
Another senior Muslim cleric also echoed similar sentiments and demanded that the topic be "dropped" from the syllabus immediately.
The student community appeared to be divided on the issue, though a majority of the girls strongly advocated scrapping the system. The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Triple Talaq Bill.