'Bid to impose ideologies': Karnataka opposes UGC draft curriculum

Bengaluru: Kautilya's Arthashastra, governance based on the Ram Rajya ideal, Subh-Labh concept, the philosophy about Parmanu and a book penned by V D Savarkar (elective subject) have found a place in the draft Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) of the University Grants Commission (UGC), which the Congress-ruled Karnataka has opposed.

UGC has drafted the LOCF for nine subjects — anthropology, chemistry, home science, mathematics, physical education and political science. The draft curriculum also includes teaching of concepts such as panchanga (Indian calendar and almanac) and how it determines muhurtas (auspicious time) for rituals and festivals.

LOCFs of different subjects will serve as guiding documents for universities and colleges for their curriculum revision in line with the National Education Policy (NEP 2020). The proposed course blends astronomy and astrology, philosophy, mythology and culture. It also covers ancient observatories, the prime meridian of Ujjain, and how Vedic time units of Ghatis and Vighatis compare with modern systems like Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Raising objections to the draft curriculum put on public domain by the UGC, Karnataka Higher Education Minister Dr MC Sudhakar said the Union government is trying to impose its ideologies on students. Making the state government's stand clear, Sudhakar said: "No question of accepting the curriculum. UGC is a regulatory body and it cannot frame curriculum. The Board of Studies at the respective universities are authorised to frame the curriculum."

The minister said the Karnataka State Higher Education Council will constitute an expert committee to study the draft curriculum released by the UGC, before submitting its objections officially. "We do not know why the UGC is interfering in everything. It is a regulatory body and it should know its limitations. UGC has the right to set a broader framework but not the curriculum," the minister said.

The recent attempts by the UGC clearly showed that the Union government was trying to take control over education, he said, adding that in the federal system, education being a concurrent subject, the Union government cannot do it. "We will not allow BJP to impose its agenda on children through the education system," he said.

Recalling the previous instance wherein the UGC issued draft regulations which included provisions to take away from state governments the power to appoint vice chancellors, the minister said: "We were the first to oppose the draft regulations by UGC. Later, even the BJP's alliance partners opposed it and I think it got stopped. Now they are making another attempt, through the curriculum."