Thiruvananthapuram: The Fraternity Movement's state secretariat has alleged that the draft curriculum framework released by the UGC for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, under the guise of the National Education Policy (NEP), is aimed at implementing a Hindutva agenda. The organisation stated that it will neither accept nor allow the framework to be enforced and vowed to resist it.
The draft Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF), prepared for nine subjects, is accused of incorporating Hindutva-driven ideas.
Instead of the UGC emblem, the framework features an image of Goddess Saraswati along with a prayer. One of the reference books included in the chemistry curriculum framework is titled “History of Hindu Chemistry.”
For mathematics, the suggested reference materials include formulas from Vedic Mathematics and mathematical concepts from the Narada Purana.
In political science, the framework recommends studying the biographies of V.D. Savarkar and Deendayal Upadhyaya, presenting Savarkar as one of the key figures in the national movement.
The statement further alleged that from lower classes onward, the NCERT textbooks are being altered by the Sangh Parivar to suit their ideological interests — by including lessons they favour and removing or distorting what they dislike. The same approach, they claimed, is now being extended to degree and postgraduate curriculum frameworks.
However, the Fraternity Movement’s state secretariat asserted that it will not tolerate these attempts at “saffronisation” of the education sector. They warned that if the new curriculum framework is not withdrawn, strong protests will be organised.
The meeting was chaired by President Naeem Gafoor, with Saeed T.K., Gopu Thonnakkal, Basith Tanur, Ameen Riyaz, Shameema Sakeer, Labeeb Kayakkodi, and K.M. Sabir Ahsan addressing the gathering.