Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat is going to Kerala on a four-day tour. This visit is considered special from several perspectives. During this time, the Sangh chief will specifically meet with several dignitaries associated with the field of education and will interact on the future and direction of the education sector.
RSS Chief in Kerala: Sarsanghchalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mohan Bhagwat, will be on a four-day tour of Kerala from July 25 to 28. During this time, he will participate in the education summit being held in Kalady, Kerala. This tour is not just a simple program but is considered a major part of the RSS's plan to strengthen its future agenda in the field of education. In this conference, Bhagwat will directly interact with top education officials, academics, and policymakers.
Conference being organized under the banner of 'Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas'
This four-day education summit is being organized by 'Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas', an organization associated with the RSS. Its objective is to finalize the strategy for the effective implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) and to integrate Indian traditional knowledge systems with modern education. More than 300 leading educationists, vice-chancellors, directors of technical institutions, and top officials of higher education from across the country have been invited to this conference.
The special thing is that not all institutions have been called to this event, but only those select stakeholders who can play an active role in policy making and education reform.
Education Ministers and Senior Officials from Several States to Participate
The Education Ministers of Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Puducherry have already confirmed their participation. Apart from this, high officials like AICTE Chairman T.G. Sitaram, UGC Vice Chairman, and NAAC Director will also be present at this conference. Also, the Governor of Kerala, RN Arlekar, will also participate in a separate session during this conference, in which more than 200 educationists from Kerala and about 1,000 participants will participate.
On July 27, Mohan Bhagwat will deliver a public lecture on the topic 'Indianness in Education'. While on the last day, July 28, he will address a national-level brainstorming session on the topic 'Gyan Sabha: Education for Developed India'. In this session, there will be a detailed discussion on the model of education to make India a developed nation. According to the organizer of this program, Atul Kothari (National Secretary, Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas), Mohan Bhagwat's presence in this conference shows that the RSS is rapidly increasing its participation in the education sector under its socio-cultural agenda.
Why is there a discussion on the RSS's education model?
The RSS has long advocated making Indian knowledge traditions, Indian languages, mathematics, skill development, and character building a part of the modern education system. Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas has been promoting this agenda even before through major events like Gyan Kumbh, Gyan Mahakumbh. Supporters say that this is a necessary improvement in the curriculum inherited from the colonial period so that education can be in line with Indian culture and values. On the other hand, critics have been accusing the RSS of 'saffronizing education'.
This conference is taking place at a time when the debate regarding the National Education Policy (NEP) has intensified in various states. Some states are implementing it rapidly, while some are opposing it. In such a situation, the RSS, through this conference, not only wants to register its presence in policy making but is also strategizing to further establish the idea of 'Indianness' in education.
