UGC’s New Undergraduate Curriculum Draft Triggers Row Over Savarkar In History Syllabus
The UGC's draft LOCF for undergraduate subjects aims for outcome-driven learning. The History curriculum, however, featuring Savarkar's perspective on the freedom struggle, has sparked a controversy.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released a draft of the Learning Outcome-Based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) for nine undergraduate subjects. According to the UGC, the new framework aims to move education beyond rote learning and make it more practical and outcome-driven.
The commission says the curriculum will help students connect with real-life challenges through fieldwork, lab work, group discussions, and interactive assignments. The focus will be on developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
Key Highlights of the Draft Curriculum
Chemistry: Courses will begin with a Saraswati Vandana. Students will be introduced to traditional medical systems like Ayurveda, Siddha, and Homeopathy, along with the medicinal properties of natural elements such as milk, honey, and water. The study of traditional Indian beverages is also included.
Mathematics: The curriculum draws on ancient Indian texts, including geometry from the Shulba Sutras, astronomy and time calculations from the Surya Siddhanta and Aryabhatiya. It will also cover Panchang calculations, concepts of Yuga and Kalpa, and the contributions of mathematicians like Aryabhata, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and D.R. Kaprekar.
Commerce: Modules include Kautilya’s Arthashastra, linking corporate social responsibility with the concept of Ram Rajya, leadership lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, and sections such as Bharat Bodh and Viksit Bharat.
Anthropology: Classical medical texts by Ayurvedic scholar Charaka and surgical pioneer Sushruta are part of the syllabus.
Controversy Over History Curriculum
The most heated debate has emerged around the history syllabus. For the study of India’s freedom struggle, the draft recommends Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s book The Indian War of Independence.
Critics argue that teaching the movement only from Savarkar’s perspective risks reducing the diversity and breadth of India’s freedom struggle, which also drew from the ideologies of leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Bhagat Singh, and Subhas Chandra Bose. They insist that students should study the movement in a balanced manner.
On the other hand, some educationists maintain that excluding Savarkar would be an injustice to history. They argue that students must be exposed to every viewpoint so they can form their own informed conclusions.
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