AHMEDABAD: With an aim to introduce children to India’s rich and age-old knowledge systems, the Gujarat government on Friday launched a supplementary textbook on the ‘Bhagavad Gita’ for classes 6-8.
According to Praful Pansheriya, Minister of State for Education, the textbook would be included in the curriculum of the said classes in the upcoming academic year.
He said that the decision was taken by the new National Education Policy that the Centre drafted three years ago. Taking to X, Minister Pansheriya said, “The state education department has decided the NEP-2020 to include the spiritual principles and values embodied in ‘Shrimad Bhagavad Gita’ as a supplementary textbook in the curriculum of Class 6 to Class 8.”
“Through this academic decision, students will feel proud and connected to the rich, diverse, ancient culture and knowledge systems and traditions of India through the teachings of ‘Shrimad Bhagavad Gita.” “This decision taken under the National Education Policy 2020 under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji will play an important role in improving values among students,” the minister added.
The textbook was launched on the occasion of Gita Jayanti. While interacting with the media later, Pansheriya said this is the first part of the textbook which is meant for the students of classes 6 to 8 and will be soon be introduced in other schools of the state.
“Two more parts, for students of classes 9 to 12, will be made available soon,” he added. Meanwhile, reacting to development, Manish Doshi, a spokesperson for the Gujarat Congress, said, “The government should first read the Gita itself before teaching it to the children. The holy scripture is a dialogue between a guru and his disciple, but there are more than 32,000 teachers’ vacancies in Gujarat. Unfortunately the government has turned a blind eye to it.”