The Uttarakhand government has announced a significant addition to the educational framework of state-run schools. Starting from the next academic session, students will study excerpts from the ancient Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. This move builds upon the existing initiative of reciting verses from the Bhagavad Gita, which was launched earlier this year.
Building on the Foundation of Gita Recitation
This curriculum revision follows the state's earlier decision to introduce the recitation of Gita verses in government schools, which commenced on July 14 this year. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recently emphasized the impact of this initiative, stating on social media that the mandatory recitation is helping students connect with Indian culture, moral values, and life's philosophy.
In response, the state education department issued an order on Monday, directing a review of the activities conducted by each school regarding the Gita recitation and assessing their positive impact on students.
Implementation Under National Education Policy 2020
Mukul Kumar Sati, the Director of Secondary Education, clarified the legal and educational framework for the new inclusion. He explained that while state-run schools follow the NCERT curriculum, the policy allows the state to incorporate up to 30% of its own content.
"In accordance with the provisions of the National Education Policy 2020, Indian tradition, locally contextualised knowledge systems, and value-based education have been included in the state curriculum. So, under NEP provisions, we'll introduce excerpts from the Mahabharata and Ramayana in school syllabi," Sati stated.
Teacher Readiness and Upcoming Evaluation
When questioned about the preparedness of teachers to handle this new content, Director Sati expressed confidence. He acknowledged that while substantial groundwork is needed, it currently does not appear that additional teaching staff will be required.
The government has also outlined a plan to evaluate the ongoing Gita project. "The Gita project began in July this year, and going ahead, the next step is its evaluation," Sati added. The state will conduct progress review meetings with all schools, with evaluation sessions scheduled for December 24 and 26 across Uttarakhand. The aim is to assess whether the initiative is bringing about improvements and positive changes in students' overall behaviour.
This strategic integration of India's ancient textual heritage into formal education marks a focused effort by the Uttarakhand government to blend traditional knowledge with modern pedagogical frameworks, as envisioned by the NEP 2020.
