Satyapal Singh encourages universities to include traditional knowledge in curriculum

Encouraging everyone involved in education sector to include traditional knowledge and wisdom in university curriculum, Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Satyapal Singh on Monday said the focus should be on imparting education which is rich in ancient Indian wisdom and culture.

“’Traditional knowledge and wisdom should be included in the curriculum of the universities in the country so that the youth get an education consisting of values, cultural heritage and which is also job oriented,” Satyapal said while addressing a seminar on ‘Qualitative and Quantitative Management in High Education’ in Doon University in Uttarakhand.

Saying that improving the state of higher education is a matter of concern and challenge in front of the country, he said that quality education is imperative and the Centre is ready to support Uttarakhand or any other state with any initiative to better the level of higher education.

Appreciating the initiatives taken by the Uttarakhand government in education sector, he said that higher education can only improve if school education is up to the mark which is also a challenge.

“It is good to hear that Uttarakhand plans to change the convocation dress and make it more traditional. It is time, we stop imitating the west and embrace our own culture,” Satyapal said.

Uttarakhand Governor Krishan Kant Paul said that the universities and colleges of the state should create a better educational and academic environment where teachers act as role models, guides and mentors for students.

The governor said that the VCs and principals must encourage and inspire teachers to take on the role of guiding students by keeping up a communication with them beyond classrooms and inculcating our cultural values in them.

State Minister for Higher Education Dhan Singh Rawat also addressed the seminar and said, “Biometric attendance system is implemented in colleges to ensure the presence of teachers for five hours.”

“The academic calendar with 180 days of study is being followed,” he added.

The Vice Chancellors (VC) of 31 universities, registrars and Principals of 119 government and government-aided colleges of the state deliberated on many topics in the seminar.