The Congress government in Rajasthan will set up a Vedic Education and Sanskar Board to revive the knowledge of ancient Sanskrit scriptures and connect the learnings of the Vedas with science and yoga. The board is likely to be set up in the coming four to five months.
Minister of State for Sanskrit Education Subhash Garg said here on Monday that a committee appointed to define the aims, objectives and functioning of the board had submitted its report to the State government. Based on the panel’s recommendations, the board will adopt education modules revolving around Vedic knowledge.
The ruling Congress had promised the establishment of the Vedic Education and Sanskar Board as well as steps to promote Sanskrit language and education in its manifesto for the 2018 State Assembly election.
CM’s announcement
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had announced in January this year that the work for setting up the board would be expedited to encourage the students to carry out research on the Vedas and enable them to assimilate the country’s “glorious traditions”.
He had pointed out that Ayurveda and Sanskrit universities had also been established in the State during the tenure of the Congress government earlier.
“Vedas are a treasure of the principles of good governance. By adopting these doctrines, the concept of a welfare state can be realised,” Mr. Gehlot said at an event in Jaipur marking the National Youth Day.
The committee has reportedly studied several models of Vedic teaching being followed in other States and recommended a curriculum for schools, which would include subjects such as science, mathematics, Sanskrit, yoga and meditation. Scholars at the schools will also be encouraged to take up research projects in various branches of Vedic learnings.
The State, at present, has about 20 residential Vedic schools, including ‘Gurukuls’ (seminaries) adhering to the ancient teacher-disciple tradition, which are run by a trust, but they do not follow any regulated curriculum for imparting education.
