The vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 can be realised by reviving India’s traditional knowledge systems in line with the National Education Policy 2020, says Prof (Dr) Manoj Kumar, VC, DAV University, Jalandhar.
Indian Knowledge System (Bhartiya Jñana Parampra, IKS) encompasses all of the systematised disciplines and streams of knowledge which were developed and evolved to a high degree of sophistication in India from ancient Vedic and pre-Vedic times. Ministry of Education (MoE, GoI) has emphasised the urgent need for revival and preservation of our thousand-year-old traditional knowledge system by bringing it into the modern academic system through NEP 2020.
IKS in NEP 2020
The pursuit of knowledge (Jñana), wisdom (Prajña) and truth (Satya) was always considered in Indian thought and philosophy as the highest human goal.
The Indian education system produced great scholars such as Charaka, Susruta, Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Bhaskaracharya, Brahmagupta, Chanakya, Chakrapani Datta, Madhava, Panini, Patanjali, Nagarjuna, Gautama, Pingala, Sankardev, Maitreyi, Gargi and Thiruvalluvar, among numerous others, who made seminal contributions to world knowledge in diverse fields such as mathematics, astronomy, metallurgy, medical science and surgery, civil engineering, architecture, shipbuilding and navigation, yoga, fine arts, chess and more.
Indian culture and philosophy have had a strong influence on the world. These rich legacies to world heritage must be nurtured and preserved for posterity and researched, enhanced and put to new uses through our education system and hence, NEP 2020 recommends the incorporation of IKS into the curriculum at all levels of education.
IKS-related UGC guidelines for UG, PG courses
To implement this vision, UGC constituted an expert committee to formulate guidelines for incorporating IKS into the higher education curricula of our country. UGC has envisioned a 10-year horizon for the application of these guidelines, along with a revision and modification after five years to meet the evolving needs. Every student enrolled in a UG or PG programme should be encouraged to take credit courses in IKS amounting in all to at least five per cent of the total mandated credits.
Fundamental courses suggested by UGC
Among fundamental courses, UGC has enlisted few ones like Bharatavarsha-A Land of Rare Natural Endowments, Foundational Literature of Indian Civilisation, The Vedangas and Other Streams of Indian Knowledge System, Indian Language Sciences, Indian Mathematics, Indian Astronomy, Indian Health Sciences, Classical Literature in Sanskrit and Other Indian Languages, Indian Education, The Purpose of Knowledge in India, Methodology of Indian Knowledge System, Indian Architecture and Town Planning, Indian Fine Arts, Indian Agriculture, Indian Textiles, Indian Metallurgy, Indian Polity and Economy, and The Outreach of Indian Knowledge System.
Elective courses suggested by UGC
Among elective courses, UGC has enlisted few ones like Mathematics in the Vedas and Sulva Sutras, Panini’s Astadhyayi, Pingala’s Chandahsastra, Mathematics in the Jaina Texts, Development of Place Value System, Aryabhatiya of Aryabhata, Brahmasphutasiddhanta of Brahmagupta, Baksali Manuscript, Ganitasarasangraha of Mahavira, Development of Combinatorics, Lilavati of Bhaskaracarya, Bijaganita of Bhaskaracarya, Ganitakaumudi of Narayana Pandita, Magic Squares, Kerala School of Astronomy and Development of Calculus, Trigonometry and Spherical Trigonometry, and Proofs in Indian Mathematics. Besides that, Indian Astronomy has been specially emphasised in the UGC guidelines.
Apart from elective courses in these and other disciplines which are part of IKS such as Indian Logic, Indian Linguistics, Indian Metallurgy, Indian Architecture, etc., there can also be elective courses on special topics that are part of IKS, such as Indian Algebra, Indian Astronomical Instruments, Indian Iconography, Indian Musical Instruments, Water Management in Pre-British India, etc. The revival and preservation of IKS through academia by integrating it into modern curricula will certainly help achieve the objective, vision and mission of Viksit Bharat 2047.