Uttarakhand to Add Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana in School Curriculum: Education Minister

Rapid Summary

• Uttarakhand syllabus update: Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat announced that the state government has requested NCERT to include Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana in the curriculum for 17,000 government schools.
• Interim measure: Untill the new syllabus is implemented, students will recite verses from these texts during daily prayer sessions.
• NCERT textbook “Veena” launched: the new textbook aligns with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, emphasizing India’s scientific achievements and civilizational heritage.

– One chapter traces the journey of the River Ganga across Indian cities like Haridwar and Kolkata.
– Another chapter introduces Artificial Intelligence (AI) concepts to promote scientific thinking for middle school students.

• NCERT’s updated textbooks are being released progressively for several classes and are expected to be fully rolled out by year-end.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The Uttarakhand government’s proposal to incorporate religious texts such as Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana into school syllabi reflects a cultural emphasis on India’s traditional heritage under the NEP framework. While this move may align with efforts to preserve civilizational values, it also raises broader questions about balancing educational inclusivity in a diverse society.The provision allowing interim prayer session recitals offers a transitional approach but might invite varied interpretations from different communities.

The newly introduced NCERT textbook “Veena” appears well-aligned with NEP goals of merging modern technological advancement (e.g., AI education) with an appreciation of India’s ancient landmarks like the River Ganga narrative. This dual-focus strategy could help provide holistic education while fostering critical thinking skills among students.

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