'Bhagavad Gita, Vedas learnings should be incorporated in NCERT textbooks,' says Centre

Centre has informed  Lok Sabha that National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks for Class 6 and 7 should incorporate  kwledge of “Vedas” and references to Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, and its shlokas in Sanskrit must be included in textbooks of classes 11 and 12. Minister of State for Education, Annapurna Devi, in a letter, stated that government aims to establish Indian Kwledge System (IKS) Division in All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in 2020.

"To become kwledge power in this century, we must understand our herit and teach world 'Indian way' of doing things," Minister of State for Education Annapurna Devi ted in letter. 

Vision to promote interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary research

decision was taken by education ministry with a vision to promote interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary research on all aspects of Indian Kwledge Systems (IKS). It will also help preserve and disseminate IKS kwledge for furr research and societal applications. National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has initiated development of National Curriculum Frameworks, Devi informed. inclusion of Bhagavad Gita is basis inputs from various ministries, states, departments, and Union Territories. It will boost  traditional kwledge of India among students, who will also draw learnings from traditional text. National Education Policy (NEP) 2022 Para 4.27 states that traditional and cultural kwledge is both sustainable and strives for welfare of common people. 

“ committee is of view that department may make adequate efforts to highlight and present diversity of religious teachings as brought out in all ancient scriptures and educative/religious texts, through school textbooks and incorporate same in revised NCF," report sent to Upper House of parliament by panel stated. 

Additionally,  parliamentary panel also recommended that NCERT include sacrifices and stories of  “unsung freedom fighters” of country from less focussed regions of  rast. An emphasis should be laid on freedom fighters and ir role in country's struggle for independence, in school textbooks, for students to kw rich Indian history, panel ted.  parliamentary panel urged Union Ministry to coordinate with NCERT and suggestion was tabled in Rajya Sabha on December 19 this week. Or additions to textbook include contributions of prominent Indian women personalities in different fields. Such material should be included as  "mandatory reading" for students, panel stressed in  report titled ‘Reforms in Content and Design of School Textbooks' was tabled in Upper House.