Delhi government teachers to learn Vedas, yoga, ayurveda at IITs from September
According to Sood, the effort is designed to create a bridge between contemporary education and India's centuries-old wisdom. 'The goal is to help teachers instil in students a deeper understanding and appreciation of their cultural roots,' he said.(With PTI inputs)- EndsMust Watch
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Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
DU's U-Special buses may return with new upgrades
New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced the relaunch of the U-Special bus service around Delhi University, reviving a transport option once central to student life. The announcement was made during the inauguration of the new academic block at DU's Social Centre School. Aimed at easing daily commutes for university students, the relaunched service will feature buses operating on DU routes with added features like onboard music, ambient lighting and air-conditioning to enhance the experience. "This is my gift to the students," said Gupta while addressing the crowd. "Back in our college days, that bus felt like our own — no one else could enter. Over time, those buses disappeared. But today, Delhi govt is bringing them back," she said. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Gupta also proposed a new mentorship programme to bridge educational gaps. She urged Delhi colleges to adopt nearby govt schools and take on a mentoring role. "Why can't each college adopt two or three schools? College students could visit once a week to teach and inspire schoolchildren," she said, directing education minister Ashish Sood to prepare a detailed blueprint for the initiative. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Even Beautiful Women Have Their 'Oops' Moments Read More Undo The event also saw the presence of Sood and DU vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh. Sood called on colleges to participate in the 'Kude Se Azadi' (Freedom from Garbage) campaign, suggesting that each college adopt a nearby area and turn it into a cleanliness model. He also promised significant upgrades to university infrastructure. "You'll soon see smart classrooms and modern labs." Reinforcing the govt's commitment, he added, "Our priority is to democratise education — to ensure it is accessible and equitable across Delhi." Singh encouraged students to adopt a solution-oriented mindset. "Be problem solvers, not complainers," he about the new academic block, Singh said, "This building was completed in just 21 months at a cost of Rs 21 crore." Emphasising the need for value-based education, he added, "We must create an ecosystem that promotes country-first thinking among students, rather than self-centred ambition. That's something we've been missing for the past 75 years."
India Today
3 hours ago
- India Today
Ancient wisdom, modern tech: IIT experts decode Indian Knowledge Systems
For years, India's education model remained largely fixed, focused on syllabi, exams, and marks. But the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is beginning to change that. One of the core changes is the formal inclusion of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) across educational such as Vedic mathematics, traditional logic, and ancient ecological practices are being introduced into classrooms. What was earlier treated as peripheral or historical content is now being studied as a core part of understand how this is taking shape on the ground, India Today Digital spoke to IIT Mandi Director, one of the institutions working to implement IKS through structured academic formats. 'We're not just teaching the past. We're decoding it for the present,' says IIT Mandi Director Professor Laxmidhar IIT MANDI IS TESTING ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE FOR MODERN USE IIT Mandi explained how IKS elements are being applied in areas like engineering, environmental science, and data approach, they say, is not about glorifying ancient practices, but about testing, adapting, and using them in today's context. The needs of today's India, research is being held on that, say experts at IIT include research on old water harvesting techniques and metallurgy that could support sustainable solutions today."Rooted in millennia of indigenous ecological wisdom, IKS emphasises harmony between human activity and nature, offering frameworks like panchabhta (five-element theory), vstu, and kri-parara (traditional agricultural treatises) that promote regenerative and low-impact practices", adds IIT Mandi Director Professor Laxmidhar institute is also working on documenting and digitising traditional knowledge, including oral histories, field surveys, and manuscripts, to turn them into accessible learning MORE SIDE CHAPTERAt IIT Mandi, IKS isn't tucked away in a seminar or weekend workshop. It's being built into engineering models, sustainability labs, and mental health studies. Researchers are using it to study Ayurveda at the cellular are blending it with EEG machines to measure meditation. And they're sending students to document oral traditions in remote Himachal villages. "Principles from IKS, such as dharma-centric design, ecological balance, and cognitive awareness, can enrich technological thinking by aligning it with human values and environmental sustainability," adds IIT Mandi Director Professor Laxmidhar Behera."IIT Mandi is pioneering such integrations through interdisciplinary research and curriculum modules that draw on ancient insights in mathematics, healthcare, consciousness and universal value systems," he further the ground, IIT Mandi has launched EWOK (Enabling Women of Kamand), a grassroots platform for women entrepreneurs. Here, local knowledge isn't forgotten, it's branded, certified, and LABS ARE REVIVING LOCAL systems advocate circularity, minimal waste, biodiversity preservation, and climate-resilient methods, many of which align with the goals of modern sustainable development," said Director Professor Laxmidhar team is also eyeing global platforms. The institute has hosted two editions of the Mind, Brain and Consciousness Conference and is pitching IKS tracks at major international science summitsThe logic is clear: If a technology worked for centuries, in farming, in architecture, in wellness, why not put it under the microscope, validate it, and use it today?In the institute's IKSMHA Centre (Indian Knowledge System and Mental Health Applications), concepts like prakriti, panchabhuta, and dharmic design are being re-examined using AI, material science, and bioengineering. It's research, not the case of aplastic anaemia. IIT Mandi researchers are submitting a study on a patient treated with amla rasa, neem rasa, and now testing the same on mice models to understand how Ayurvedic therapy affects bone marrow at the cellular idea is to make IKS part of the global scientific vocabulary, not just as soft power, but as serious is going global and ready to research on several other aspects. Global recognition is smoothening the research process and also catching the world's Mandi, with the support of IKS division, and several researchers across and outside India has already hosted two editions of the Mind, Brain Consciousness conference (MBCC) in 2023 and 2025," the Director conference proceedings are being published by Springer in four volumes. The director, IIT Mandi was invited to deliver a plenary talk at 31st Annual The Science of Consciousness Conference held at Barcelona during 6-12 July Mandi has proposed the following initiatives to be taken under the auspices of MoE, Government of India:Host IKS-focused sessions at global forums like COP (climate summits), UNESCO heritage talks, World Economic research with international institutions on Ayurveda, Yoga, sustainable agriculture, and Vedic interdisciplinary IKS courses through platforms like edX, Coursera, or Erasmus+.Promote Ayurveda, Yoga, and Vaastu as soft power tools for global for global recognition of IKS practices under WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy, UNESCO intangible heritage export of IKS-based products (Ayurveda, handicrafts, organic farming techniques) through quality certification (like AYUSH mark, GI tags).Can this model scale? Possibly. But it will take political backing, budget, and belief. - Ends
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
Rekha Gupta inaugurates new Delhi University academic block in Maurice Nagar, announces return of U-Special buses
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday inaugurated the new academic block of the Delhi University (DU) Social Centre School in Maurice Nagar. The new four-storey building, completed in 21 months at a cost of over Rs 27 crore, has 21 classrooms and laboratories. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony held at DU's Vice Regal Lodge, the CM noted that while progress has been made in education, much more remains to be done. She proposed that each DU college be linked to two or three government schools, with university students visiting regularly to mentor and motivate schoolchildren. Gupta said that the goal should be to make government schools the first choice for parents. 'Government schools should become the priority, and private schools should be the second,' she said. 'If children still have to struggle for admissions from primary to post-graduation, then the system needs to improve.' She also announced the return of the U-Special buses. This bus service, tailored for DU students, was once a popular transport option for students of the varsity. Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood, the guest of honour at the event, stressed that the new academic block represented future citizens of a 'Viksit Bharat,' not just bricks and stones, Sood said. He said the government's key aim was to democratise education. The Education Minister also highlighted the new Bill introduced by the Delhi government that grants parents a say in deciding school fee hikes. The Delhi Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the bill to regulate private school fee hikes. Sood added that the government would work to equip all government schools with smart classrooms and AI-enabled labs. He urged DU colleges to join the 'Kude se Azadi' cleanliness campaign by identifying one spot near their campuses to transform, and suggested aiming for a world record on August 31 for the largest clean-up drive. DU Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh, who presided over the event, said the university was proud to have several alumni in leadership positions. On the new building, he said it was constructed on a 16,754 sq. m plot and has a total built-up area of over 3,700 sq m. Singh also stressed the need to build national character and urged students to be 'givers, not takers.' The ceremony was also attended by Ghonda MLA Ajay Mahawar, Timarpur MLA Surya Prakash Khatri, DU South Campus Director Prof. Rajni Abbi, Registrar Dr. Vikas Gupta, and school Vice Principal Dr. Garima Bharti.
