New Delhi: The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) now has a research division for Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) with a special mandate to take initiative and contribute towards spreading the rich heritage of India and its traditions.
The Division will also work on creating awareness, and carrying out research, identifying scholars, writing of authentic books and development of portals. The IKS division will work under the supervision of chairman of AICTE and MHRD.
On June 19, the ministry called for applications for the posts of chief coordinator, coordinator and research fellows purely on contractual basis.
Anil Saharabuddhe, AICTE chairman and supervisor of the division in MHRD, told News 18 the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has directed to set up the division after a meeting with researchers, academicians and experts in the domain in March.
“The government formed a research division, in which one of the divisions set up was Indian Knowledge Systems. The meeting was led by HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ along with experts in the domain where it was discussed that there is material to study, stories known and some exaggerations, and we need to study it like modern sciences and find the truth — separate from exaggeration,” he said.
He added, “Whatever we have has to be verified by this division. The process of finding the truth has already begun with the call for applications in some posts. The project is in a nascent stage currently, but involves educational institutions. For centuries, Indian knowledge was relegated in the background. We have to or we will be losing it if don’t start work on it.”
The document that has been uploaded on the website of the MHRD reads: “Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Division of MHRD will actively engage for spreading the rich heritage of our country and traditional knowledge i.e. arts, music, dance, health, ayurveda, nadi pariksha (pulse examination), yoga, mathematics, science and technology etc.”
AICTE has also developed an IKS site for collecting information and creating a database of experts as part of the move. “In order to promote interdisciplinary research on all aspects of Indian Knowledge Systems, preserve, and disseminate Indian Knowledge Systems for further research and societal applications, MHRD desires to create a database of individuals and organisations who have contributed by way of Research, Teaching, Publication and Preservation of ancient and contemporary rich Indian Knowledge Systems.”
It covers art, music, dance, drama, mathematics, astronomy, science, technology, life sciences, environment and natural sciences, health care, yoga, law, jurisprudence, economics, social sciences, psychology, philosophy, management, linguistics, oral traditions of India, knowledge hidden in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tamil, Pali etc and plans to “scrutinise the information, verify, put in context through interdisciplinary scientific investigation; create a portal for archival and dissemination of this rich knowledge. We appeal to you to share your interests on this portal for further processing and meet the above objectives,” reads the IKS website developed by AICTE.
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