Madhya Pradesh is preparing to introduce courses on ancient Indian knowledge in the third year of undergraduate programmes, extending a state initiative that has already brought the subject into first- and second-year college syllabuses.
The Department of Higher Education is also planning to incorporate Indian knowledge traditions into postgraduate curricula. Under the proposed changes, the first unit of syllabuses across disciplines, including chemistry, mathematics, geography, literature, political science and economics, will focus on ancient Indian knowledge.
A high-level committee chaired by state Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar is overseeing the work. Professors, retired academics, former vice-chancellors and other specialists have been invited to contribute to the curriculum. The Hindi Granth Academy is printing books related to the subject.
The initiative falls under Bharatiya Gyan Parampara, which the state has been incorporating into higher education in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The department adopted the approach in the 2024-25 academic year, with courses introduced in the earlier years of undergraduate study.
Curriculum to cover 21 main subjects
Ram Vishvas Kushwaha of the Hindi Granth Academy said the initiative includes 21 main subjects and nine supplementary subjects. The curriculum is intended to draw on India's intellectual traditions and their contributions across disciplines.
The proposed content may include traditional mathematics, ancient water-management systems, literature, philosophy, medicine, astronomy, political thought and social reform. The curriculum is also expected to cover figures from different communities and traditions. Kushwaha cited Kabir and Raskhan as examples of figures whose contributions could be included.
The state has previously incorporated Indian knowledge topics into different undergraduate subjects. In science, these have included traditional medicine and yoga. History courses have addressed Indian culture, languages, scripts and performing arts, while literature courses have included texts such as the Vedas, Upavedas, Puranas and Upanishads.
Political science curricula have also incorporated political ideas from texts such as the Arthashastra and the Ramayana, alongside the contributions of social reformers.
Postgraduate courses also in focus
The proposed expansion to postgraduate education follows the state's earlier work on standardising postgraduate syllabuses. In 2025, the Higher Education Department prepared 50 model syllabuses aligned with NEP 2020, covering postgraduate diplomas and one- and two-year postgraduate programmes.
Some of those syllabuses already included material on Indian knowledge traditions. The postgraduate diploma in Hindi literature, for example, incorporated ancient Indian traditions and literary works such as Prithviraj Raso.
The proposal extend the approach across postgraduate subjects, than limiting it to courses directly related to Indian history, philosophy or literature.
Part of a wider push under NEP 2020
NEP 2020 calls for incorporating Indian Knowledge Systems into curricula, including traditional knowledge in areas such as mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, medicine, agriculture, architecture and linguistics. The University Grants Commission has separately issued guidelines on incorporating Indian knowledge into higher education, with recommendations ranging from introductory courses to specialised study and research.
Madhya Pradesh has also established Indian Knowledge System centres in colleges. A 2024 report said government and private colleges were asked to set up centres with books, journals and other resources, appoint nodal officers and organise lectures on Indian knowledge traditions.
