NEW DELHI: Educational institutes are now increasingly offering certified courses in yoga. The
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) now joins the likes of premier institutes, including Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), in offering courses in yoga.
The IGNOU’s School of Health Sciences has launched the Certificate Programme in Yoga (CPY) starting from July. Beginning with a short-term course, it plans a comprehensive one which will cover
more detailed aspects of the ancient discipline.
Growing interest
“Over the past few years, yoga has been getting a lot of attention. People from India and abroad wrote to us and enquired about yoga courses. So, we thought to start with the certificate course,” Coordinator of the programme, IGNOU, SB Arora informed The Morning Standard.
Delhi University offers a certified course on yoga, charkha and khaadi. The three-month programme was introduced in 2017. Similarly, JNU proposed a short course on yoga philosophy in the same year.
“Practicing Yoga is one thing but doing research to unravel the benefits of Yoga using scientific approaches is also important. That is the reason why many Universities are now studying Yoga as a research area and are planning to offer degree programs in Yoga.
This is a welcome move,” JNU vice-chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar said. Meanwhile, IGNOU plans to introduce a full-fledged undergraduate and Masters programme by next year. “There has been a lot of demand about pursuing higher education in the subject. Being a national university, we should take the initiative,” Arora said.
Institutes have been engaging in the International Yoga Day celebrations. “During the last three years, interest in yoga has increased exceptionally among the JNU community. Yoga practice offers several benefits.
It not only helps in making our body stronger and flexible, but also makes us happier. Our modern lifestyles make us stressful and prone to illnesses which in turn can affect efficiency. When individuals become healthier, it will help us in building a healthier society. As a university, we will continue to encourage more students to participate in yoga,” Kumar asserted.
IGNOU course
The new course at IGNOU syllabus would constitute two theory papers and one practical.
“It aims to make the candidate aware about the history and the contribution of Yogis in the field of Yoga and attain both physical and mental health through Yoga. It is an art and science for healthy living,” read an IGNOU statement.
The eligibility criterion for the course is Class 12 pass. The programme will be either six months or of two-year. Programme will be offered at regional centres including Delhi, Dehradun, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Ladnun, Chennai, Mumbai and Pune.