Uttarakhand tasks NCERT with including Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana in school syllabus

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat on Wednesday said that the state government has asked the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to include the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayana in the syllabus of 17,000 government schools.

“In a meeting of the Education department with the Chief Minister, we have tasked NCERT to include Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana in the syllabus to be taught in 17,000 government schools of Uttarakhand”, Rawat said. He added that until the new syllabus is introduced, students will recite verses from these texts during daily prayer sessions.

“Until this is implemented, verses from the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayana will be included in the daily prayer meetings in schools”, he further added.

#WATCH | Uttarakhand Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat says, “In a meeting of the Education department with the Chief Minister, we have tasked NCERT to include Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana in the syllabus to be taught in 17,000 government schools of Uttarakhand. Until this is… pic.twitter.com/Di5bpaT8Q1

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On July 15, NCERT released a new textbook titled Veena, which has been developed in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The book aims to connect students with India’s scientific achievements as well as its civilisational heritage.

One of the chapters, ‘Ganga ki Kahani’, follows the journey of the Ganga from Gomukh to Gangasagar, covering cities such as Haridwar, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna, Kanpur and Kolkata. It blends geography with cultural, spiritual and economic insights, featuring stories of ashrams, sadhus and the Kumbh Mela.

Another chapter, AI, introduces students to Artificial Intelligence, explaining how machines learn and solve problems like humans. It is designed to encourage scientific thinking in middle school students. The Gaganyaan chapter highlights India’s human spaceflight mission, describing ISRO’s ambitions and the role of the humanoid robot Vyommitra.

Moral and civic values are also featured. The chapter Nyay Ki Kursi explores the ideas of justice and fairness using historical figures like Raja Bhoj and Vikramaditya, while Haathi aur Cheenti teaches road safety through an animal story. Other topics in the book include Kaziranga National Park, Ajanta and Ellora caves, natural colour making, and Paralympic champion Murlikant Petkar.

The NCERT has started rolling out the updated textbooks for several classes. While some books have already been released, others are expected by the end of the year. (ANI)