There is opposition brewing among a section of academics to the University Grant Commission’s (UGC) new teacher training programme -- Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme (MMTTP) -- launched in the name of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, freedom fighter, educationist, founder of Banaras Hindu University and Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha.
Earlier this month, the UGC released a brochure on MMTTP, according to which, among eight themes that have been identified for the teachers training programme under “Holistic Education” are study of Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures, the teaching-learning system of Gurukula, Guru-Shishya parampara and so on. Among the slew of subjects that are classified as “Indian Knowledge System”, a trainee studies topics such as “Introduction to the concepts of non-translatables (Example: Dharma, punya, aatma, karma, yagna, shakti, varna, jaati, moksha, loka, daana, itihaasa, puraana etc.)“
“The outcome of the capacity-building training will be the metamorphosis of higher education in terms of Indian values, teaching, research, publication, patents, and institutional development,” says the brochure of the training programme, emphasising that it will be in alignment with the recommendations of National Education Policy (NEP-2020). “Teachers and learners will acquire the concept of the Indian Knowledge System and apply it in real life for the advancement and creation of knowledge,” says the UGC, adding that the target is 15 lakh faculty members over the period of three years.
