NEW DELHI: An RSS-backed body has pitched for the inclusion of Ayurveda, Siddha and other indigenous medical systems in the curriculum for medicine.
The Hindu Education Board, in its recommendations to the government, has suggested that Indic traditions be included in the syllabi of science graduates and that regional languages be used instead of English in teaching. “A very large number of Bhartiyas depend on Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and other indigenous medical systems for their time-tested herbal base, economy and access... There is a case to explore feasibility of a single integrated syllabus for medicine which incorporates the best elements from different schools of medicine,” the Board said.
Earlier, Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani had attended the conference of the Hindu Board. The ministry is in the process of holding nationwide consultations on formulating national education policy. Batting for Indians traditions, the Hindu Board said, “For instance, computer science students may benefit by learning the works of Panini and other Bhartiya linguists.”
The Board said, “Courses in our own textual and other intellectual traditions should be developed to highlight the importance of all four ‘purusharthas’ not just artha (wealth) and kaama (desire)”.
Purushartha means a person’s objectives in life and the two other purshurthas are ‘dharma’ (duty) and ‘moksha’ (liberation), both of which the Board wants to be taught in the higher education.
Ignoring Bhartiya languages, it said, breeds “cultural insecurity”, fuels destructive “language-based identity politics” and causes loss of indigenous knowledge systems and traditions as they are accessible only through our languages.