A controversial scheme offering university scholarships to young South African women who remained virgins is unconstitutional, the Commission to Gender Equality has ruled.

The scheme, called “maiden’s bursaries”, was first introduced by South African mayor in January, resulting in a nationwide debate. Critics said the program’s emphasis on virginity was outdated, while traditionalists thought it might help to preserve African culture.

The program is discriminatory, as males were not subjected to the same tests, gender commission said.

"Any funding by an organ of state based on a woman's sexuality perpetuates patriarchy and inequality in South Africa," it said in a statement.

The ruling was applauded by rights group.

"It is not the cultural practice that is the problem here; it is the allocation of state funds on the basis of girls' sexuality that violates the constitutional protection to equality, dignity and privacy," said Sanja Bornman, an attorney with Lawyers for Human Rights.

The scholarships were only offered to women. The recipients were required to undergo virginity testing each time they returned home for holidays, with a chance of losing the stipend if they had proven to have engaged in sexual activity.