Indian Knowledge System

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• About Indian Knowledge System (IKS)
• Functions of IKS Division
• Activities under IKS Division
• UGC’s Draft Guidelines w.r.t. IKS

 

Why in News?

• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released the draft ‘Guidelines for Incorporating Indian Knowledge in Higher Education Curricula’.
• These guidelines aim to help colleges and universities develop courses for introducing students to the Indian Knowledge System (IKS).

 

About Indian Knowledge System (IKS)

• Established in October 2020, Indian Knowledge System (IKS) is an innovative cell under Ministry of Education (MoE) at AICTE, New Delhi.
• As a concept, IKS was introduced through the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• Objectives –
  • To promote interdisciplinary research on all aspects of IKS,
  • Preserve and disseminate IKS for further research and societal applications, 
  • Actively engage for spreading the rich heritage of our country and traditional knowledge in the field of Arts and literature, Agriculture, Basic Sciences, Engineering & Technology, Architecture, Management, Economics, etc.

 

Functions of IKS Division

• Facilitate and coordinate IKS based/related inter and trans disciplinary work done by various institutions in India and abroad including universities, institutions of national importance, R&D laboratories and different ministries and inspire private sector organizations to engage with it.
• Establish, guide and monitor subject-wise interdisciplinary research groups comprising of researchers from institutes, centers and individuals.
• Create and promote popularization schemes.
• Facilitate funding of various projects and develop mechanisms to undertake research.
• Make Policy recommendations wherever required for the promotion of IKS.

 

Activities under IKS Division

• Considering the need to establish IKS centers in traditional schools and STEM educational institutes, the Division will provide a funding support of Rs 30-40 lakh over two years to the institute that establishes the IKS center and conducts related activities.
• Under the IKS Internship Programme, selected students will be paired with IKS experts to work on short research projects, activities/workshops, etc. and earn a stipend (of about Rs. 25,000) for the duration of two months as per AICTE norms.
• To further formalize IKS education, the technical education regulator has commissioned a textbook titled ‘Introduction to Indian Knowledge System, Concepts and Applications’ by B Mahadevan.
• The IITs also have a keen interest in IKS.
  • IIT Guwahati has started a PhD programme and short duration course on ‘Spoken Sanskrit’ and ‘Spoken Assamese’ since its inception in November 2021.
  • At IIT Gandhinagar, however, the IKS elective course dates to 2016, long before NEP 2020 gained prominence.
• Eventually, every discipline of IKS should find a home in the regular disciplines.
• For instance, the history of Indian Mathematics could easily be integrated in regular Maths programmes; the same with Architecture or Philosophy or Ayurveda.
• This is also part of the NEP’s desired outcome, but it will need to be done gradually as we cannot reverse decades of neglect in a few years.

 

UGC’s Draft Guidelines w.r.t. IKS

• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released draft guidelines for the incorporation of the Indian knowledge systems (IKS) in higher education for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses.
• The UGC has also directed higher educational institutions to share a few suggestions on the draft guidelines by April 30.
• As per the directive, all UGC-recognized universities and institutions are to include subjects related to the Indian knowledge system as part of the National Education Policy 2020.
• The UGC argues that integrating IKS within the existing educational framework will aid in preserving and disseminating Indian Knowledge Systems for further research and societal application.
• Furthermore, the UGC has recommended that every student in UG and PG courses be encouraged to take credit courses in the Indian knowledge systems.
  • Specifically, students enrolled in UG programmes in medicine will be required to study the Indian system of medicine, including Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Homeopathy, and Siddha, in their first year.
  • In other courses, the role of ithihas and puranas will be incorporated to better understand the Vedas in UG and PG programs.
  • The six vedangas - Sikha, Chhanda, Vyakrana, Nirukta, Jyotisha and Kalpa will also be integrated into the courses.
• Mathematics in Vedas and Sulba Sutras will also be integrated into the courses. Apart from Dharmasastra and Arthasastra, students will also learn about Indian astronomy.

 

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Q1) Who is known as the Father of Yoga?

Though Yoga was being practiced in the pre-Vedic period, the great Sage Maharshi Patanjali systematized and codified the then existing practices of Yoga, its meaning and its related knowledge through his Yoga Sutras.

 

Q2) Why did Ministry of Ayush come into existence?

Incepted on the 9^th of November 2014, the Ministry of Ayush was formed with a vision of reviving the profound knowledge of traditional Indian systems of medicine and ensuring the optimal development and propagation of the Ayush systems of healthcare.

 

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Source: UGC releases draft guidelines on Indian knowledge systems in higher education | Indian Express