West Bengal may add Vedic maths, Chanakya Niti to college curriculum under NEP 2020

Kolkata: Vedic mathematics and ancient Indian knowledge systems may be introduced in the curricula of colleges and universities in West Bengal, while Chanakya Niti may be incorporated into political science courses as part of an initiative aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, a member of a government-formed panel said on Wednesday.

Kalyani University Vice-Chancellor and panel member Kallol Pal told PTI that a common model and a set of guidelines were being developed for higher educational institutions in the state in accordance with NEP 2020. "Vedic principles and classical doctrines that are relevant to contemporary times will be incorporated into the curriculum," Pal said.

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"We have reached the 21st century and have advanced considerably beyond the mathematical knowledge available in ancient times. Those subjects could be retained as part of history, but greater emphasis should have been placed on developments in modern mathematics, science and technology," he said.

The initiative is part of the Centre's Indian Knowledge Systems framework, which is already being introduced to students at various Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). When contacted, West Bengal Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay said, "The government cannot officially share any such information as of now."