JNU To Reconsider Yoga And Culture Courses

New Delhi: After six months, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNUs) has decided to reconsider its junked proposal of introducing short-term courses in Indian culture and yoga in the varsity to propagate spiritual and mythological traditions and establish Indian values.

A decision in this regard was taken last week at a meeting of the university’s academic council, its statutory decision-making body. “A draft of the proposed course structure was rejected in the academic council last year. The matter was again raised in the recent meeting. There was opposition from certain teachers while some favored it. Ultimately it was decided to reconsider the same,” a council member said. “Vice-chancellor Jagadesh Kumar has directed the departments to rework on the proposed course structure and place the same before the academic council,” he added.

Last year, the proposal to introduce three short-term courses in these subjects had come against the backdrop of right-wing organizations, including the BJP’s ideological mentor RSS, insisting on propagation of culture in educational campuses to promote India’s rich heritage and restore its cultural identity.

Following various communications from the HRD ministry and the UGC, the varsity had last year circulated a draft of three courses among various schools and departments for feedback. However, the academic council rejected the proposal in November.

According to the earlier draft, the course on Indian culture aimed at expounding the importance of the country’s culture as well as exploring the etymological, social, spiritual, cultural and mythological aspects and establishing Indian values in the world.

“The course will contain the texts, thoughts and traditions of different cultures and include things like religious systems in Indian culture among others. Besides, it will have portions from Vedas and selections from epics and Jatakas and suggestions on readings of Hindu epics like the Ramayana,” the draft read.

It also said that there would be a basic study of Indian culture to establish Indian rituals and values in the world and derive ways from these sources to make human life better.

While suggesting Ramayana and the Bhagvad Gita from Gita Press Gorakhpur and Tulsi Ram’s Vedas must be read by all, the document added, “Indian culture couldn’t be understood without the help of Indian literature, which are generally written by sages.”