DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand is poised to become the first state in India to introduce a formal religious education curriculum that combines lessons on faith with Indian history, culture and nationalism. The syllabus has been drafted and is awaiting approval from the state education department.
The curriculum is intended for children from minority communities and has been prepared under the state’s minority education framework. Alongside religious teachings and beliefs, it will cover India’s cultural heritage, the freedom struggle and the contributions of prominent figures to nation-building.
The syllabus for Classes 1 to 8 has already been prepared. A draft for Classes 9 to 12 has also been completed and will be submitted to the education department for approval. The curriculum can be implemented only after it receives the department’s go-ahead.
Professor Surjeet Singh Gandhi, chairperson of the Uttarakhand State Minority Education Authority, said the authority was awaiting the state’s decision.
“At present, the authority is awaiting the education department’s approval for this draft. Once that is granted, Uttarakhand will become the first state in the country to have prepared a curriculum of this kind for religious education,” Gandhi said.
The proposal would extend beyond classroom instruction. Students would be able to sit examinations based on the syllabus and receive certificates through a process administered by the authority associated with minority educational institutions.
However, officials have yet to clarify where the certificates will be recognised or what conditions will apply to their validity. Details of the examination and certification process are also expected to become clearer after the curriculum is approved.
A source at the minorities commission said religious education under the proposed system would be optional. Students would be free to choose whether to take the classes, which schools may offer before or after regular academic lessons.
The curriculum is designed to link religious learning with wider themes of India’s past and identity. It includes accounts of freedom fighters who played a significant role in the independence movement, as well as personalities recognised for their contributions to nation-building.
The proposal’s next step rests with the education department. Once it has reviewed the draft, its approval will determine when the curriculum can be introduced and how schools will organise lessons, examinations and the issuing of certificates.
If cleared, the initiative would make Uttarakhand the first state to adopt a structured religious education syllabus of this kind, according to the authority’s chairperson.