Dr. Subhas Sarkar, MOS for Education, launches AICTE’s three-week Faculty Development Programme on Indian Knowledge System (IKS)

New Delhi : The All India Council for Technical Education’s (AICTE) on Monday announced the launch of Faculty Development Programme (FDP) – Bhāratīya Jñāna Paramparā – with Rashtram School of Public, Rishihood University, Sonipat, aimed at building a comprehensive perspective on the need, relevance and essence of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) for the academic community, particularly the faculty engaged at colleges and universities across the country.

The three-week FDP will be held from Nov 15 – Dec 7, 2021, and will also be supported by CPDHE (UGC-HRDC), Univ. of Delhi, Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal, IKS Division of MoE at AICTE, CoEIKS, IIT Kharagpur, INDICA and SOA.

The program was launched by Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Education, Government of India, who graced the occasion and delivered the inaugural address. Honourable Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Culture Sh. Arjun Ram Meghwal delivered the Chief Guest address here on Monday.

Besides Honourable Ministers, also present were AICTE Chairman Prof. Anil Saharabudhe, Padma Vibhushana & Honble Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha member Dr. Sonal Man Singh, Shri Mukhul Kanitkar of National Organising Secretary, Bhartiya Shikshan Mandal (BSM), Prof. Kapil Kapoor of Indian Institute of Advanvced Studies (IIAS), Dr. Kiran Bedi, former Lt. Governor of Puducherry, Dr. Ashok K Mahapatra (SOA), Bhai Kultar Singh (Sikh Rāgi), Prof. Bharat Gupt (IGNCA), Sh. Chamu Krishna Shastry (Sanskrit Promotion Foundation), Pravrajika Divyananda (Sri Sarada Math), Dr. Jagannath Patil (NAAC), Sh. J Sai Deepak (Advocate, Supreme Court of India), Dr. Vinayachandra B K (INDICA), and Prof. Virendra Kumar Tewari (IIT KGP).

Commenting on the launch of the FDP, AICTE Chairman Prof. Anil D Sahasrabudhe said: “If we don’t make changes to our education policies now it will be very difficult for us to pass on the values of Indian Knowledge System (IKS) to our children. And if we want to make students learn about IKS the first step is to make the teachers aware about it. When teachers are aware about IKS, it will also fill their minds with pride and appreciation for this system. This will help the teachers or faculties to sow the seeds of IKS among their students. Keeping all these aspects in mind, this three-week FDP is of prime importance for us.”

The FDP will also be uploaded on the website of AICTE and those who are not able to attend it physically can go through it virtually. The FDP seeks to provide intellectual thrust and moral clarity on the imperative of anchoring Indian education in India’s Knowledge Systems (IKS): Sources, Theories, Concepts and Practices. A job portal will also be launched for opportunities in IKS.

Stressing on the importance of IKS, Dr. Sarkar, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Education, said: “A series of FDP on Indian Knowledge System will make the students aware about the rich history and tradition of our indigenous knowledge system that has been in place for thousands of years.”

Responding to the nation’s call for Ātmanirbhara Bhārata and current initiatives to implement the NEP 2020, the FDP aims is to contribute to and enrich the Indian education system by the inflection of India’s Knowledge and provide pertinent reflections for the NEP 2020.

Some of the key sessions included Education and Coloniality by Sh. J Sai Deepak; What are India’s Knowledge Systems? by Prof. Michel Danino; IKS in Higher Educational Institutions by Prof. Kuldeep Agnihotri; “Bhāṣā-cintana-paramparā” by Prof. Rajnish Mishra; “Nāṭyaśāstra, Saṅgīta aur Nṛtya” by Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr. Sonal Mansingh; Character of Bhāratīya Samāja by Prof. Kapil Kapoor, amongst others.

On the occasion, Prof. Kapil Kapoor, Chairman, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, said: “It is important to first make teachers aware through these FDPs that education can serve our society and culture only if it is founded in India’s powerful knowledge traditions and practices – otherwise, as of now the Education will only perpetuate ‘colonised minds’ thereby stifling indigenous originality.”

Prof. Kapoor was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to education and IKS.

According to Mr. Ganti S. Murthy, National Coordinator, IKS Division of MoE, AICTE, “It is self-evident in today’s world that the Indian way of thought and knowledge systems have much to offer for making a more sustainable, harmonious and peaceful world. To teach this Indian way to future generations, the teachers must be familiarised and such foundational programs will go a long way in making this possible.”

Against the above backdrop the IKS will present a refreshingly empowering perspective of a Dharma centric view, advocating a relational worldview that our entire existence is connected and interdependent, harmonizing ecology and economy.

Shobhit Mathur, Co-founder & Dean at Rashtram, added that, “To the big questions facing humanity today we do not have all the answers from the West. It is time to delve into the knowledge heritage of India and bring it back to the classrooms. Teachers would play the most important role in this endeavour. I am glad that Rashtram in collaboration with our partners has taken up this important and timely initiative.”