Not just history, physics or commerce: Delhi University to teach about heartbreaks, Tinder, red flags and toxic relationships
Response to rising concerns over toxic relationships
The university decided to offer this course in response to increasing cases of crimes linked to failed or toxic relationships among teenagers and young adults. Multiple high-profile incidents involving toxic relationships have raised questions about the emotional awareness of young adults. From the
Shraddha Walkar
case in 2022 to more recent
Sonam Raghuvanshi
, the lack of understanding around healthy boundaries and emotional management has come under scrutiny.
In 2022, Shraddha Walkar was killed and dismembered by her live-in partner Aftab Poonawala in Delhi. In May 2025, Raja Raghuvanshi was found dead in Meghalaya. His wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, later confessed to his murder. In another case in Meerut, a young woman named Muskan was allegedly murdered by her partner under circumstances pointing to emotional conflict and control.
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How the course is structured
The four-credit course will be taught through three lectures and one tutorial every week. It is available to undergraduate students who have completed Class XII and studied introductory psychology.
Divided into four units, the course covers topics such as friendship, love theories, warning signs of toxic relationships, and building healthy emotional bonds. One full unit is dedicated to identifying red flags like jealousy, intimate partner violence and romantic transgressions early in a relationship.
Live Events
A reaction to real-life incidents
Several recent cases in Delhi involving young women murdered by their partners have raised concerns. Between late May and early June this year, three women—Komal (21), Vijaylaxmi (19), and Mehek Jain (18)—were killed by their partners, allegedly driven by jealousy. In one case, Komal was strangled and her body was dumped in the Chhawla canal. Vijaylaxmi was stabbed by her 20-year-old boyfriend, and Mehek was stabbed and then set on fire in a park.
These incidents are not isolated. The 2022 Shraddha Walkar case also shocked the nation, where the 27-year-old woman was murdered by her live-in partner Aftab Poonawala, who dismembered and disposed of her body parts across Delhi.
Experts say such crimes reflect a deeper issue. 'These aren't isolated crimes. These are symptoms of a deeply rooted inability to regulate emotions, amplified by constant online monitoring of partners. Without early emotional education, this cycle will only worsen,' said a psychologist who did not wish to be named.
Inside the course structure
The course is divided into four main units:
The Psychology of Friendships and Intimate Relationships
This unit covers how friendships develop, their effects on individuals, and how they evolve into romantic or long-term bonds.
Understanding Love
This section introduces theories like Sternberg's triangular theory of love and the two-factor theory. It also includes discussions on sexuality.
Signs of Relationships Going Sour
This part will help students identify early warning signs in relationships, including jealousy, romantic transgressions, break-ups, and intimate partner violence.
Flourishing Relationships
The final unit focuses on developing healthy families, relationship satisfaction, communication, and emotional support.
Classroom conversations on films, Tinder and boundaries
The course is designed to be interactive. Students will analyse their social media connections, take part in self-awareness exercises, and discuss common relationship challenges. Topics will include online dating experiences, forgiveness, and pop culture moments such as the portrayal of partner violence in Kabir Singh and idealised romance in Titanic.
"Films reflect how love is often idealised or even normalised when it's toxic. But when analysed in a classroom, they can become powerful tools to deconstruct unhealthy patterns," said Latika Gupta, a faculty member at Delhi University.
Gupta added: "If we want to prevent emotional harm, we will have to start having honest conversations early." She also said: "No one teaches how to handle rejection or set boundaries. If we learn this early, some of the tragedies wouldn't happen."
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