The Karnataka authorities has formally opposed the College Grants Fee’s (UGC) just lately launched draft Studying Outcomes-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) for undergraduate programmes.
Increased Schooling Minister M C Sudhakar Thursday introduced that the state won’t settle for the proposed modifications, describing them as an overreach by the UGC that undermines the federal construction of India’s schooling system. Sudhakar additionally acknowledged {that a} committee beneath the Karnataka State Increased Schooling Council (KHEC) might be fashioned to look at the draft curriculum. This comes after the Kerala authorities made the identical transfer by forming an professional committee to evaluate the curriculum.
The draft LOCF, aligned with the Nationwide Schooling Coverage (NEP) 2020, outlines curriculum revisions for 9 topics: Anthropology, Chemistry, Commerce, Economics, Geology, Residence Science, Arithmetic, Bodily Schooling, and Political Science. Critics have labelled it “regressive, unscientific, and ideologically biased,” accusing it of selling a right-wing agenda by way of selective historic and cultural inclusions.
In topics like Commerce and Economics, college students are inspired to analyse ‘Ram Rajya’ (a perfect governance mannequin from Hindu mythology) within the context of company social accountability (CSR) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks. Historic texts such because the Upanishads, Mahabharata, and Kautilya’s Arthashastra are really useful as references for sustainable improvement and moral enterprise practices.
The draft LOCF suggests biographies of V D Savarkar and Deendayal Upadhyaya (RSS ideologue and founding father of Bharatiya Jana Sangh) as electives on India’s freedom motion. Savarkar’s ebook The Indian Warfare of Independence is listed as really useful studying, which opponents argue distorts the varied narratives of the Independence wrestle.
In Arithmetic, the draft recommends instructing the historical past of ‘Bharatiya Bijaganita’ (Indian algebra) and methods just like the ‘Paravartya Yojayet Sutra’ from Vedic Arithmetic for polynomial division. It additionally consists of ideas akin to ‘panchanga’ (the Indian calendar) and ‘mahurta’ (auspicious timings) for rituals and festivals. Chemistry programs start with a Saraswati Vandana (prayer to the goddess of data) and canopy Ayurvedic practices, whereas Anthropology attracts from historical students like Charaka and Sushruta.
Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, minister Sudhakar stated, “The UGC is a regulatory physique, however this interference in curricula is unacceptable. We are going to study it by way of a committee beneath KHEC. Nevertheless, on the face of it, we’re opposing it,” he stated.
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Sudhakar additionally stated, “That is one other try by the central authorities to deliver the schooling sector beneath their management and to seed their ideologies amongst college students. In a federal construction, they will’t do it. Schooling is a concurrent topic; interference isn’t proper. The Supreme Courtroom in earlier circumstances has upheld the identical.”
SEP to be introduced earlier than Cupboard quickly
Sudhakar acknowledged that the State Schooling Coverage (SEP) drafted beneath the chairmanship of Prof Sukhadeo Thorat might be introduced earlier than the Cupboard quickly. “The CM has obtained the great report of SEP. Since it’s a voluminous report consisting of 400-500 pages, we’ve got greater schooling division officers consolidating the essential facets and proposals of SEP in a nutshell. This might be positioned earlier than the cupboard quickly,” he added.