UGC Releases Draft Guidelines for Courses Based on Indian Heritage and Culture

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has recently released draft guidelines for Indian institutes to introduce courses based on Indian Heritage and Culture. This decision is a result of the National Education Policy's (NEP-2020) emphasis on promoting Indian Heritage and Culture. The UGC has designed a framework for courses such as Ayurveda, Classical Dance Forms, Indian Languages, Music, Sanskrit, Universal Human Values, Vedic Mathematics, and Yoga, with the goal of attracting international learners to India.

To achieve this aim, the UGC has suggested that higher education institutions (HEIs) implement tailor-made courses adhering to a credit-based modular programme structure. These modular programmes offer short-term credit-based options with multiple entries and exits, "to promote the interest of people from abroad to visit India." The courses will have three tiers, depending on the rigor of the curricular structure and the degree of learning outcomes of relevant disciplines.

The UGC's draft guidelines are a significant step towards promoting Indian Heritage and Culture through higher education institutions. These courses have the potential to attract international learners and offer them a unique perspective on Indian culture and its diverse disciplines. The guidelines also provide HEIs with a flexible framework to design courses that cater to the needs of learners from different backgrounds and levels of proficiency. By implementing these courses, Indian institutes can play a crucial role in promoting India's rich heritage and culture to the world.