Panel recommends Rs 10 cr grant for new Dept of Yogic arts

A committee constituted by the HRD ministry to prescribe modalities for Yoga education in universities has suggested that UGC should provide grants of Rs 10 crore to institutions for starting new departments of Yogic Art and Science.
The 12 member committee headed by H R Nagendra, believed to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi's yoga guru, has also recommended that the NET exams, the qualification criterion for university teachers, in this subject be conducted this year itself.
The committee has prepared the outlines of the syllabus for six different courses ranging from certificate to PhD for all central universities as well as colleges.

The committee, constituted by Smriti Irani-led HRD ministry in January this year, has suggested that PhD courses be held in two streams, one being therapy and the other being general.
"The committee has submitted its report in the last week of March. We have suggested the syllabus and are trying that the NET exam for Yoga be held this year itself. If not in June this year, then definitely by December," said a member of the committee.
"The committee has also recommended that UGC provide grants of Rs 10 crore to universities and colleges for creating Departments of Yogic Art and Science and to run them for a few years," the member added.

A sub-committee of UGC will work on texts on the subject which will form the basis of these courses.

The member added that a sub-committee will work on preparing the prescribed course content in Yoga. It is learnt that the focus of the committee has been on practical aspects related to yoga in the various courses.
"The panel has submitted its report, we now hope suitable action is taken on its recommendations," said Pandit Radhey Shyam, Director, Ujjain Yoga Life Society International, one of the members of the committee.
It is learnt that the panel has also suggested that experts from institutes such as Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth be invited as guest lecturers to different institutions as UGC norms for various courses.

The terms of reference of the committee included identification of courses and programmes in Yogic Art and Science and the levels at which they can be offered.
It was also asked to spell out the scope of programmes offered at Certificate, Diploma, Degree, Post Graduate Degree or Diploma and Research levels, and to develop broad details of the curriculum in core and elective courses.
The panel had also been asked to prescribe the syllabus for conducting NET in Yogic Art and Science and determine the eligibility qualifications for students for joining Yoga Education Programme at different levels, among other things.