Talk on Indian Knowledge Systems in Curriculum
@ Samvit
Sangam
Namaste to all.
I feel honoured to speak
on Indian Knowledge Systems in Education at Samvit Sangam,
organized by Samvit Research Foundation. I had the privilege to represent Jnana
Prabodhini and speak at Samvit Sangam — a one-day symposium on the integration
of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) in school education.
I’ll keep to the time and
share a few key points and practices from Jnana Prabodhini, so we can stay on
track with the schedule.
In the inaugural session,
Anuragji raised important questions regarding the term Indian Knowledge
System—its acronym IKS, and whether we ought to replace it with Bhartiya
Gyan Parampara. For clarity, I will continue to refer to it as IKS-Parampara.
The distinction between “Indian
Knowledge System” and “Bhartiya Gyan Parampara” is significant. The English
term “system” invokes several dimensions: What is the foundation of this
system? What are the sources of its knowledge? What methods are employed within
it? What are the strategies for its revival?
In contrast, the term Parampara
refers to a deeper, living tradition—transmitted through experience,
practice, and embodiment. While knowledge may be universal, the approach to
knowledge and the purpose behind acquiring it differ substantially between Bhartiya
Parampara and the Western model.
If we are sincere about
integrating IKS into our education system, we must begin with rethinking the purpose of learning itself. The process must start with “why”—the
intention behind learning—before moving toward the “how” and “what.”
IKS-Parampara and the Nature
of Learning
I would like to share a
meaningful shloka from our Bhartiya Gyan Parampara, which you can read
on the slide:
अथा॑धिविद्यम् । आचार्यः
पूर्वरूपम् ॥
अन्तेवास्युत्तररूपम् ।
विद्या सन्धिः ।
प्रवचनं सन्धानम् ।
इत्यधिविद्यम् ॥
This ancient verse
explains the essence of education in our Bhartiya tradition. It means:
The teacher is the earlier form; the student is the later form.
The knowledge is the
meeting point,
and the act of teaching
is the link between them.
In Bhartiya Parampara,
education is seen as a relationship where the teacher represents the earlier
form, the student the latter, and knowledge is the purpose; and learning is the
space where both meets.
Learning to do Swadhyaya, self-directed leaning and
especially learning by teaching—Pravachan—becomes
the bridge between them. This reminds us that learning is not only about
information.
It is a
living process—a relationship
where
the teacher shares wisdom with care,
and the
student receives it with respect and interest.
Together,
they bring knowledge to life.
We often frame education
as either teacher-centric or student-centric. However, in our tradition, the
process is defined by the purpose of learning. Whether teacher-led or
student-led, what matters is the authentic process of generation or creation of
knowledge, i.e., knowledge-centric education. In this approach, the emphasis is
not solely on content, but on cultivating the ability to learn—nurturing
curiosity, inquiry, and observation, which leads to a learning-centric design.
The question is: Do we,
as educators, cultivate curiosity and inquiry in our students required for
learning-centric design? And more importantly—are we, as teacher curious about
the world around us?
If this foundational
orientation is established, the rest—curriculum, textbooks, pedagogy—follows
organically.
Why Before What
To
start with let’s revise what is curriculum?
Curriculum is the
complete learning journey — not just a syllabus. It includes what to learn
(subjects, skills), how to learn (activities, projects), and how to assess
(questions, observation). It also nurtures values, attitudes, and life skills —
guiding teachers to support each child’s growth in knowledge, thinking, and
character.
The on slide there is a
table comparing current education system with IKS-Parampara in curriculum on
three parameters
First, the philosophical foundation: IKS is rooted in a
holistic and spiritual vision—emphasizing self-discipline, compassion, service,
and Dharma. In contrast, the current education system which we define as
modern system is largely secular and analytical, focusing on specialization and
equity in an objective sense.
Second, the knowledge approach: IKS promotes an integrated
view of learning, where philosophy, science, arts, ethics, and skills are all
interconnected. However, in today’s system, knowledge is fragmented into
separate subjects, often detaching theory from real-life application.
Third, the assessment approach: IKS encourages reflective,
continuous learning with an emphasis on inner transformation, whereas the
current system is driven by exams, rigid outcomes, and performance-based
evaluation.
In current modern
education, we typically begin with “What will the child learn?”—starting from
the content and textbooks. Teachers are given material designed by others, and
only later consider how and why to teach it.
IKS-Parampara inverts
this order. The learner is a seeker. The
process begins with “why,” followed by “how,” and then “what.” Starting with
“what” weakens the foundation of learning.
In
today's education system, we often see a capsule or package approach where
students receive subject-based inputs, chapter-wise knowledge, and learn mainly
to pass exams. Recently I heard of the introduction of a curriculum module on Ananda
under value education.
Is it possible and wise
to package Ananda as values-based education package, a standalone topic?
A few years ago, in
Maharashtra, a textbook titled Swa-Vikas was introduced as a separate
syllabus on self-development, with its own assessments. Current model of
education we can have such value-based topics as standalone modules.
IKS-Parampara guides us
that attitudes and values cannot be taught as separate lessons. Values must
emerge through integrated exposure, experience, and reflection during learning
process.
To practice IKS-Parampara
in curriculum design, we need to think about designing interdisciplinary,
holistic education—not fragmented, compartmental knowledge delivery.
Learning must support
holistic development—intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual, and moral.
In some schools, this integrated model is already a visible practice.
Approaches required to
integrate IKS principles with current education system:
Generalised Instruction vs
Personalised Instruction
The current system is
designed to deliver content to the masses, offering the same input to all,
leading to generalised instruction. IKS-Parampara says: Every child is unique.
Though we acknowledge this as a principle, our education systems rarely reflect
it in learning-teaching practices.
Is there a space in our classrooms for a child
to ask: “This is my question; this is what I want to learn”?
IKS-Parampara in
curriculum design demands this space, as it sees the learner as a seeker. The
IKS-Parampara in curriculum design must allow for individual curiosity and
motivation. Inputs must be relevant, personal, and engaging.
IKS-Parampara: Cake or Icing?
Often, IKS is treated as
an add-on—an attractive layer on top of the existing system. But if the core
remains unchanged, the integration is superficial.
To genuinely integrate
IKS, we must revisit our educational foundations. The analogy is IKS-Parampara
is a Cake or Icing?
There are two approaches
to IKS in the curriculum presented on the screen.
The first is the intrinsic view —
this means we embed IKS subjects, content, values, and practices directly into
what students learn. For example, adding lessons on Ayurveda, ancient
mathematics, temple architecture, or stories from Indian epics that teach us
about our ancient knowledge about subjects. Some people think IKS is like icing
on the cake of modern education, a heritage to be known or preserved, a Indian
knowledge history one should know.
The second is the extrinsic view —
here, we use the IKS philosophy to shape the entire curriculum design itself.
This is deeper. It’s like not just adding some Indian topics, but reimagining
the very structure of how we teach — making it more connected, reflective, and
life-oriented.
But we must move beyond
that. It is not just decoration — it must become the base, a heritage to be
practiced. The analogy is that of grafting—a strong
traditional rootstock with current content grafted on top. The plant’s strength
comes from its roots.
By doing this, we don’t
reject modern knowledge. We root it in our own tradition, giving it strength,
meaning, and purpose.
This is how Bharatiya
Gyan Parampara can truly guide curriculum — not just in adding content, but
in creating a way of learning that is holistic, value-based, and culturally
grounded.
IKS: Learners Journey in
Curriculum
We must train students to
develop as Vidyārthi—seekers of knowledge, not merely informed. Vidyārthi
– The Seeker of Knowledge: the student is full of curiosity, wonder,
and questions. The role of education at this stage is to awaken curiosity, not
just to give answers. The core values are inquiry and a love for learning. In
our current system, we often focus too quickly on information delivery and
learning outcomes.
To achieve this, we must
first teach the skills of learning: how to observe, how to ask questions, how
to design an experiment. When children learn how to learn, they become lifelong
learners.
The second stage is Vratārthi
– The Aspirant of a Vow. In this stage, the learner develops discipline
and commitment. They take a kind of "vow" defining the discipline
required for learning. True learning requires self-discipline. The concept of brahmacharya—a
life committed to learning—is deeply relevant. It is not about restriction but
about conscious focus and self-awareness.
The third and final stage
is Vidyāvratī – One who lives by Knowledge.
At Jnana Prabodhini, at
the time of Vidyavrat Samskar, we introduce both aspects—Vidyārthi
and Vratārthi—ultimately leading to developing the learner as Vidyāvratī.
We must help children to
cultivate all five dimensions—physical, vital, emotional, intellectual, and
spiritual—not as isolated capsules, but as an integrated journey. To achieve
such holistic development, our students take vratas—resolutions—to
work on aspects such as: Yuktaharvihar, Indriya-saiyaman, Swadhyay-Pravachan,
Sadguru Sewa, and Upasana, reflecting the objective of
nation-building through character-building.
At the beginning of the
academic year, students participate in Varsharambha Saṃskāra—a
ritual where each sets personal goals: which books to read, which places to
visit, whom to interview. These become their individual syllabi. Classes and
teachers also set collective goals. It is a shared journey of purpose and
responsibility.
Education must lead to
man-making and nation-building. Indian Knowledge Systems aim to create
self-regulated, wise individuals—committed to society and nature. Both learning
experiences are focused to nurture Sankalp Shaki i.e. resoluteness.
Rediscovering Purpose
A critical challenge
today is to reimagine the space between instruction and realization. In many
ancient narratives and stories, we learn of disciples’ profound inner
transformation, though the texts remain silent on the details of how the
transformation took place. We need to revisit scriptures to discover the
processes of learning.
To achieve this, we must
go beyond adding information about IKS in the curriculum. We must reflect and
evolve educational activities using the extrinsic view of IKS about curriculum.
That means shaping the structure, methods, and aims of education itself through
Bhartiya thought.
Let’s
discuss with the example of Śikṣāvallī: IKS-Parampara for curriculum
design.
The Śikṣāvallī of the Taittirīya
Upaniṣad articulates key concepts: Svādhyāya—learning through
self-study, and Pravacana—learning by teaching. Pravacana is not
merely delivering knowledge, but deepening one’s understanding by articulating
it.
Anuvaka 9 of the Taittiriya
Upanishad provides timeless guidance for living and learning through values
- essential principles for curriculum design. Ritam and Satyam
promote truth, integrity, and critical thinking. Tapas, Dama, and
Shama trains the mind building discipline and perseverance necessary for
a resilient learning journey. Agnihotra and Atithi Devo Bhava
instil a deep sense of responsibility, service, and respect. Praja, Prajnan,
and Prajati awaken a stewardship mindset as custodians of knowledge and
as active contributors to the future of society.
Swādhyāya fosters self-directed
learning—encouraging students to study independently and reflect deeply. It
nurtures inner curiosity and a desire for self-mastery, making learners seekers
rather than just answer-writers. Pravachana sharpens communication and
collaborative learning—it teaches students to express their thoughts clearly.
Such values and
principles, when integrated into the curriculum will help take education beyond
information and marks, making IKS not an add-on, but the soul of education.
The objective of an
IKS-based curriculum is not just to nurture knowledgeable students, but to
develop wise, responsible, and self-regulated individuals.
At Jnana Prabodhini, our
five pillars of education are: Knowledge, Skill, Motivation, Attitude, and Life
Goal—integrated with IKS-Parampara. While most schools focus only on Knowledge
and Skill, IKS in curriculum should also emphasize the remaining three.
IKS-Parampara: approaches for
effective learning
Dynamic approaches to
effective learning emphasize active, experiential, and self-directed
strategies. Experiential learning involves activity-based methods such as
projects encouraging learners to engage actively. Immersive learning goes beyond the classroom
through real-world experiences like internships, fieldwork, and living
alongside role models.
Self-directed
learning empowers students to take ownership of their education by defining
personal resolutions or goals.
IKS approach integrates
these three key modes experiential learning (learning by doing), immersive
learning (learning by living together), and self-directed learning
(learning driven by personal inquiry).
At Jnana Prabodhini, we strive to integrate these
three modes of learning.
For example, in project-based
learning, the project must originate from the learner’s own curiosity,
ideas, and inquiry. Project-based learning is about exploring, investigating,
and creating. The teacher’s role is to hold the space for exploration, guide
students in acquiring inquiry processes, and help them reflect on the purpose
behind their inquiry.
For experiential
learning, we organize Sahadhyay Din—an Experiential Learning Day. Let me
share one experience observed during a day-long visit to an art gallery and
museum. After the visit, students were asked to pick an artefact from the
museum and relate it to human experience and reflect on human life for their
presentation. One group selected a painting where the artist had reversed the
conventional approach—using oil paints to depict rivers and watercolours to
paint buildings.
Traditionally, we guide
them to use oil paints for depicting solid, stable structures like
buildings—because of their thick, controlled nature—and watercolours to
represent flowing elements like rivers, allowing for freedom and spontaneity.
In their presentation,
the students explored the theme of human life by experimenting with these two
mediums in a symbolic way. Their interpretation was that while humans appear to
be in motion externally, they may be stagnant internally or Vise versa when
externally not doing anything lot of thinking going on internally. This insight
revealed the power of connecting art to life.
This experiential
learning day activity helped students reflect deeply becoming a medium for the
internalization of learning.
I would like to share one
experience to conclude, especially as teachers from Rashtrotthana Vidya Kendra
are in the audience. A few years ago, we took our students on a bicycle yatra
from Pune to Kanyakumari, and Rashtrotthana Vidya Kendra graciously hosted us
in Karnataka. The students cycled around 80 km a day, staying in local schools,
and even after a long ride, they engaged in game sessions with the host
students.
At one such stay, after
an evening walk in the town and before going to bed, the students would massage
each other’s legs with oil—caring for one another with genuine affection. That
evening, elderly, wrinkled woman—an Amma—called all the teachers and
students to gather outside. The teachers were initially concerned, thinking the
students might have done something mischievous while roaming in the town. But
when everyone assembled, Amma performed an act to ward off the evil eye,
symbolically protecting the children. In Marathi, we call this action drusht
kadhaṇe; in Hindi, nazar utārna—I don’t know the Kannada word for
this ritual.
Later, through a local
mediator, we asked her why she had done this. She said, “These children are
from the land of my deity, Vittal. They are my children. And as an Amma,
a mother, will always want to protect her children.” Though she had never
visited Pandharpur, her gesture transcended language of affection reflecting
Bhartiya culture.
For our students, this
became a profound lesson in unity, belonging, national integration, and
experiencing Atithi Devo Bhava—far more impactful than any textbook
could offer. Such immersive experiences remain with us for life.
Integrating IKS-Parampara in curriculum can lead to the design of such
transformative learning experiences.
In conclusion, I would
like to end with a mantra as a formula to
integrate IKS-Parampara into the curriculum:
ॐ सह नाववतु।
सह नौ भुनक्तु।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु
मा विद्विषावहै।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
(तैत्तिरीयोपनिषद् ब्रह्मानंदवल्लीतील – शांतिपाठ)
May we all be protected
and nourished. May we work together with
great energy, and may our intellect be ever-sharpened. Let there be no
animosity among us as we move forward in unity and purpose.
We must live alongside
our students, learn with them, and achieve together. Co-learning and shared
experiences should be at the cornerstone of our pedagogy.
Let teachers and students
walk the same path of knowledge, when we will learn and grow together with
educational practices rooted in heritage, we may build a model truly aligned
with the aspirations of the National Education Polic, NEP2020. This is what we should strive for—designing
new models rooted in IKS-Parampara.
Dhanyavad.
Prashant Divekar
Jnana Prabodhini, Pune
17th June 2025, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bengaluru
Samvit Sangam:
A one-day symposium on
IKS
Integration in School Education
Three Pillers: IKS in -
Ambience, Curriculum & Practice
Highlights:
Number of Participants:
250 +
Number of States
Participated: 6
Number of
Academic Institutions Participated: 65 +
Number of Speakers:
10
Comments
Post a Comment