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Indian Knowledge Systems

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Indian Knowledge System (IKS) ( known as Hindu ideology knowledge system )
AbbreviationIKS
FormationOctober 2020; 4 years ago (2020-10)
TypeGovernmental organisation
HeadquartersVasant Kunj, Delhi, India
Region served
India
Official language
English, Hindi
National Coordinator
Prof. Ganti S. Murthy
Parent organisation
 Ministry of Education, Govt. of India
Websiteiksindia.org

The Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), or the Bhāratīya Jñāna Paramparā Vibhāga is a division of the Ministry of Education of the Government of India which purports to promote indigenous Indian systems of knowledge.[1][2] Established in October 2020, it is located in the AICTE headquarters in New Delhi.[1]

History

The Indian National Education Policy (NEP), as enacted in 2020, emphasizes the inclusion of IKS into curriculums at all levels of education;[3][4][5] in line with this, the National Credit Framework (NCF) has made it possible for students to earn credit in courses relating to ancient Indian sciences and arts.[6] IKS is also being included under the Vision 2047 for Bharatiya Rasayanasastra initiative.[7] In the 2022-2023 budget, IKS's financial allocation was doubled to ₹20 crore (US$2.4 million).[8]

Under University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, it is advised that 5 per cent of a student's total credits should be in IKS courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.[9] The UGC aims to train 1.5 million teachers in IKS by 2025,[2] and has launched an online IKS MOOC course.[10]

IKS has also spearheaded and funded certain research initiatives relating to traditional Indian knowledge,[11] such as in relation to agriculture and architecture.[12][13][14]

Topics

Vedic mathematics, various shastras such as the Arthashastra, and Indian astronomy will be taught under the IKS initiative.[15][16][17] IKS topics for students taking UG medicine courses will include yoga, meditation, and ayurveda.[15][18][19]

Research

Focus Area Received Proposals Selected
Science, Engineering, Technology 55 4
Health, wellness 14
Psychology, Cognition 8
Linguistics, Phonetics, Epistemology, Language technology 10 4
Management, Administration, Law, Governance 6 1
Arts, Literature, Culture, Aesthetics folklore, Education 24 2
Indian Classical Music, Drama 3
Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy 10 1
Indian Traditional Knowledge Base 26 3
Total 156 15

Initiatives

Bharatiya Khel

This section is an excerpt from Bharatiya Khel.[edit]
The game of seven stones, which is one of the 75 games featured by Bharatiya Khel.
Bharatiya Khel (Hindi: भारतीय खेल, transl. Indian Games) is an initiative of the Indian government under the National Education Policy (NEP) and Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) policies to introduce 75 traditional Indian games into schools across the country. Interschool competitions are held,[20] with one seasonal game selected each month, and the best-performing schools and teachers earning certificates of recognition.[21]

Implementation in Universities

  • In January 2024, IIT Roorkee and IIT Bhilai signed an MoU on December 29, 2023 to strengthen the academic and research collaboration between the two institutions. MoU includes promoting Indian culture, IKS, and developing projects across domains.[22]
  • In July 2024, IIT Mandi launched MS (research) And PhD programs in Music and Musopathy. The programs aim to explore therapeutic values and science behind Indian music for the overall well-being of human body, mind, and consciousness by leveraging the connection between music, technology, and health.[23][24]
  • In July 2024, Department of Higher Education (Madhya Pradesh) included political concepts from Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Arthashastra, and problem solving skills from Vedic text and Chanakyaniti in its undergraduate and postgraduate programs. DHE confirmed creation of "Indian Knowledge Tradition Centres" in government and private universities across the state.[25]
  • In August 2024, IIT Mandi introduced a compulsory course for its BTech fresher students. The course is developed under the IKS division of the institute and it is called 'Introduction to Consciousness and Wellbeing'. The course covers a wide range of topics including theories of consciousness, anatomy and functionality of the physical body, reincarnation and out-of-body experiences. Some topics sparked controversy.[26][27]

Reactions

Support

The work of the IKS division has been interpreted by some as being guided by a mission to preserve Indian heritage,[28] apply ancient knowledge to modern problems such as climate change,[29][30] and decolonise Indian education in a way that reduces undue Western influences.[31][32][33]

The IKS Division of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) selected 15 research topics covering six focus areas ranging from Science and Engineering to Linguistics, Arts, Management, Yoga, and Indian Traditional Knowledge Base. The main vision is to train researchers who will embody the ‘Indian way’ of doing research.[34]

Criticism

See also: Saffronisation

Critics of the IKS division have asserted that its curricula pedal pseudoscience and pseudohistory, do not constitute a genuine scholarly "decolonisation" programme, are a tool of indoctrination by the Hindutva ideology of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and will economically and professionally disadvantage Indian graduates in the workforce.

Writing for The Wire, Vasudevan Mukunth criticised the introduction of a new textbook under the auspices of IKS as a "Trojan horse of pseudoscience".[35] The textbook in question dismisses as a myth the commonly accepted belief that "aeronautics was developed by Wright Brothers in 1903," asserting instead that 5,000 years before the Wright Brothers, "Maharshi Bhardwajan wrote an epic called Yantra Sarvasva and aeronautics is a part of the epic [...] Yantra Sarvasva is not available now but out of whatever we know about it, we can believe that planes were a reality in Vedic age." The textbook also asserts that "It’s a Myth that Theory of Gravity was discovered by Isaac Newton in 1666 AD; the truth is that thousands of years before Newton, a number of epics were written on the gravitational force and we can find the evidence in the Rig Veda".[36]

Manasi Thapliyal Navani, a professor in the School of Education Studies at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi, has criticized the IKS curriculum as not being genuinely decolonial, stating that "Indigenous knowledge education or decolonisation projects begin with a critical dialogue with history and with the dominant forces that have shaped modern disciplines," and because IKS curricula lack such critical engagement, "the whole project essentially boils down to becoming one of indoctrination."[37]

Jaheer Mukthar, an assistant professor of economics at Kristu Jayanti College in Bangalore, asserted that "the government is clearly using the textbook as a tool for propagating the Hindutva agenda".[37]

Another criticism is that the IKS curricula may deprive students of access to useful Western knowledge, or bias them against it.[38] In his article for The Wire, Mukunth also warned that an IKS education "would render [Indian] graduates even more unemployable, or under-employed, than they already are".[35] Some critics have urged that IKS courses be made optional so as to not create issues for students who want to take courses that are better for their employment prospects.[39]

Critics have also alleged that it serves to disseminate propaganda to further the political agenda of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its far-right Hindutva/Hindu nationalist ideology.[39]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "about". iksindia.
  2. ^ a b Chakrabarty, A. M. Jigeesh & Sreeparna (2023-10-07). "UGC to train over 1,000 teachers to teach Indian knowledge systems from degree level". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  3. ^ Kumar, Mamidala Jagadesh (2023-07-29). "Embrace Indian Knowledge System, enrich higher education". The Sunday Guardian Live. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  4. ^ "IIT Madras workshop for educators to implement Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS)". Edex Live. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  5. ^ "Bhagavad Geeta to be taught in NCERT textbooks: Centre". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  6. ^ "Philosophy is necessary: Exploring Indian knowledge systems beyond Science". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  7. ^ "Conference on ancient Indian knowledge system commences in Varanasi". The Times of India. 2023-02-14. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  8. ^ "Union Budget 2023-24: Promotion of Indian languages receives impetus". Hindustan Times. 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  9. ^ "Mandatory 'Indian knowledge' course seen as 'indoctrination'". Times Higher Education (THE). 2023-06-27. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  10. ^ "UGC Launches Indian Knowledge System Online Course For Students; Classes From July 31". News18. 2023-06-27. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  11. ^ "Impact of ragas on humans among proposals selected for govt funding". Hindustan Times. 2022-02-12. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  12. ^ "Charaka Samhita to using dung as biofertiliser: 11 topics picked for govt funds". Hindustan Times. 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  13. ^ "Education ministry identifies 9 areas of research under IKS programme this year". Hindustan Times. 2022-10-09. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  14. ^ "Sanskrit language use, modern applications of ancient knowledge among research topics selected by AICTE for IKS". India Today. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  15. ^ a b "UGC releases draft guidelines on Indian knowledge systems in higher education". India Today. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  16. ^ Chandra, Jagriti (2022-12-15). "UGC recommends training in Indian Knowledge Systems". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  17. ^ "Indian Knowledge Systems to focus on Sanskrit texts, Indian math proofs". The New Indian Express. 2023.
  18. ^ "UGC issues guidelines on integrating Indian Knowledge System with UG, PG syllabi". OnManorama. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  19. ^ "UGC pushes for IKS courses in UG, PG, MBBS programmes". news.careers360.com. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  20. ^ "Edu ministry forms plan to bring in 'Bharatiya Games' in schools". Hindustan Times. 2022-12-31. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  21. ^ "'Gilli danda' among 75 'Bharatiya sports' set to be introduced in schools". Hindustan Times. 2022-07-30. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  22. ^ "IIT Roorkee, IIT Bhilai partners to preserve and promote Indian Knowledge Systems". India Today. 2024-01-02. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  23. ^ "IIT Mandi introduces first-of-its-kind MS, PhD programmes in Music and Musopathy". India Today. 2024-07-06. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  24. ^ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  25. ^ "Indian knowledge system to be part of UG, PG curriculum". The Times of India. 2024-07-23. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  26. ^ "IIT Mandi's mandatory 'Consciousness' course teaches reincarnation, sparks debate". India Today. 2024-08-13. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  27. ^ "IC-181: Course Modules | IKSMHA" (PDF). IKSMHA, IIT Mandi. August 13, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  28. ^ Kumar, Mamidala Jagadesh (2023-07-29). "Embrace Indian Knowledge System, enrich higher education". The Sunday Guardian Live. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  29. ^ "Reviving India's knowledge systems for modern Indian education and society". Financialexpress. 2021-12-06. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  30. ^ "Merge indigenous knowledge systems with modern technology for a better planet". The Week. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  31. ^ "Autonomous colleges in state face challenges in implementing Indian Knowledge System". Hindustan Times. 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  32. ^ "'Indian Knowledge Systems' in the Curriculum". 58 (16). 2023-04-22. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  33. ^ "Opinion | Indigenising Education: Ancient Indic Knowledge is Finally Getting its Due in New India". News18. 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  34. ^ "Sanskrit language use, modern applications of ancient knowledge among research topics selected by AICTE for IKS". India Today. 2022-02-18. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  35. ^ a b "The Modi Government's Pseudoscience Drive Is More Than an Attack on Science". The Wire. 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  36. ^ Sharma, Kritika (2018-09-26). "In engineering courses soon: Wright brothers didn't invent plane, batteries existed in Vedic age". ThePrint. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  37. ^ a b Thomas-Alexander, Tiya (2023-06-27). "Mandatory 'Indian knowledge' course seen as 'indoctrination'". Times Higher Education (THE). Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  38. ^ "G N Devy writes: Replacing 'western knowledge' with 'Indian knowledge' could result in intellectual disaster". The Indian Express. 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  39. ^ a b "'UGC credit courses on Indian Knowledge Systems relevant, should be optional for students, not burden students': Stakeholders react". The Indian Express. 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
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