Rajasthan varsity students to have Mahabharata lessons

In an attempt to give a touch of ‘Indianisation’, the Rajasthan University has revised its curriculum for postgraduate courses like commerce. As per the new course, those studying International Business and Human Resource Management will have to study the Mahabharata and the Ramayana and read the philosophies of Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi.

The inclusion of Indian authors has been at the cost of foreign ones like Mary Parker, an expert in organisational behaviour, and Oliver Sheldon, whose globally read theories have been axed.

The Post Graduate School of Commerce of the Rajasthan University has also revised its curriculum for those doing MCom in Business Administration. According to Principal of the college, Navin Mathur, the course underwent changes keeping in mind the ‘Indianisation’ of the course. “A chapter on management thinkers has been included and it will have the preachings of Swami Vivekananda and S K Chakraborty. Another chapter on Mahatma Gandhi will explain the role and rights of labourers, and will further describe how the Tata group still reflects the Gandhian principles,” he told DH. According to Mathur, a chapter on Lord Krishna’s conversation with Arjun before the battle of Kurukshetra has been included in the course.

The aim is to teach students division of hour, motivation and responsibility. “The new book has a chapter where it clearly proves that the famous Span of Control theory was coined by Lord Krishna and not a foreign author,” said Mathur, also the convener of the committee formed to revise the curriculum.

According to management mentor and author Arvind Kalia, “The inclusion of Indian authors is a good step, but conventional writers should not have been removed. Mary Parker’s contribution to management students is unmatchable.”
DH News Service

As per the new course, those studying International Business and Human Resource Management will have to study the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.