UGC suggests Indian Knowledge System courses on Sushruta Samhita, Vedic astronomy and more

New Delhi: Under the new draft guidelines proposed by the University Grants Commission (UGC), undergraduate and postgraduate students will be required to take Indian Knowledge System (IKS) courses as part of their degree programs.

Under the proposed guidelines, students pursuing undergraduate or postgraduate degrees will be encouraged to take courses in IKS, which covers topics such as plastic surgery as described in Sushruta Samhita, and Vedic astronomy.

At least 5% of the total credits required for a degree will be allocated to IKS courses. The guidelines define IKS as a collection of systematized knowledge disciplines that have been refined and preserved by various communities in India, including tribal communities, since ancient times. These guidelines are based on the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP).

Accordingly, it proposes that every student enrolled in a UG or PG programme “should be encouraged to take credit courses in IKS amounting in all to at least five per cent of the total mandated credits.”

The courses will account for at least 5% of the total credits required for the degree. For example, a mathematics major may need to take IKS courses on the subject, such as "numbers, fractions, and geometry in the Vedas," while a history student may need to take IKS courses on the subject.

The suggested IKS courses cover a variety of topics, such as the "splendid geographical isolation of India and the uniqueness of Indian culture," "Ramayana and Mahabharata," "Puranas," foundational texts of Indian philosophies, and "foundational texts of Indian religious sampradayas."

Ayurveda and sections on plastic surgery, cataract surgery, and anal fistula in the Susruta-Samhita are also suggested courses. The UGC has also announced that specialized knowledge of Vedas and Puranas will earn students credits under the new National Credit Framework (NCrF), which will eventually be adopted by schools.