Vedic courses on a par with any exam board

Vedic school students can now get secondary and senior secondary school certificates from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).

The open school, which functions under the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry, has rolled out secondary and senior secondary school programmes on Vedic education in Sanskrit medium under a new stream ‘Bharatiya Gyan Parampara (Indian Knowledge Tradition)’.

The move is aimed at “reviving the ancient Indian education system”, NIOS chairman Chandra Bhushan Sharma told DH. A total of 1,000 students have already enrolled in the open school’s one-year secondary education programme (Class X level) on Vedic education this year. The duration of the senior secondary education programme is two years.

The open school hopes the number of students will “substantially” increase in the coming months and years since no other recognised secondary school education examination board conducts board examinations for students of Vedic education.

The NIOS’ certificates are considered equivalent to those issued by any other secondary school examination board in the country.

“At least 6,000 Vedic schools operate across the country,” the NIOS chairman said.

The open school has set up its centres at some of the Vedic schools and is working at reaching out to the remaining schools. Under the ‘Bharatiya Gyan Paramapara’ stream, NIOS has prepared courses for five subjects — Vedic Studies, Indian Philosophy, Sanskrit Grammar, Sanskrit Literature and Sanskrit.