Karnataka introduces Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharat for moral education in schools

Karnataka education minister said that whichever ideologies help children towards higher morals would be adopted in moral education

PGurus Newsdesk

April 19, 2022

Karnataka education minister said that whichever ideologies help children towards higher morals would be adopted in moral education

Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharat will be taught as part of moral education

‘Bhagavad Gita‘ and ‘Mahabharat‘ will form a part of moral education in the school curriculum from the next academic year, the Karnataka government announced on Tuesday. Though a proposal in this regard was made some time ago, the ruling BJP government had kept it in abeyance considering the opposition.

Clearing the air on Tuesday, Education Minister B C Nagesh said: “From next year, moral education will be added to the school syllabus. ‘Bhagavad Gita’, ‘Mahabharat’ and ‘Panchatantra Stories’ will also be part of moral education,” he stated.

“Whichever ideologies help children towards higher morals would be adopted in moral education. It won’t be confined to religion. The aspects from various religious texts which are beneficial to children would be adopted. However, the aspects of a particular religion followed by 90 percent of children would find more preference and it is inevitable,” he explained.

Minister Nagesh also clarified that the title ‘Mysuru Huli‘ (Lion of Mysuru) of the erstwhile ruler of Mysuru Kingdom Tipu Sultan will be retained in the textbooks. BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan has demanded to drop the lesson on Tipu Sultan from the textbooks. He has presented evidence to substantiate his claim, he said.

MLA Ranjan is urging that if a lesson on Tipu Sultan is taught, all facets should be taught. Tipu was an anti-Kannada ruler who imposed the Persian language on the administration. His atrocities in Kodagu must also be taught to children. But, the lesson on Tipu is not dropped, unnecessary details would be retained. The details on which aspects would be omitted will be shared later, he explained.

Minister Nagesh further stated that parents of children studying in Urdu schools have requested him to introduce a contemporary syllabus in those schools. They fear that their children would lag behind in this competitive world. However, there is no such demand from madrassas or Minority Welfare Department, he said.

[With Inputs from IANS]

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