IGNOU to start courses in Vedic and Indic studies from August

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), a government recognised institution that offers distance education courses, is set tostart degree and certificate programmes in Vedic and Indic studies.

The course in Vedic studies will be offered in association with a religious faction, the Swaminaray an sect. The university will also set up a Swaminarayan Chair for which an Mo U has been signed with the organisation that was founded in Gujarat and is a sub-sect of Vaishnava Hinduism.

According to sources, the university will offer certificate and degree courses in the study of Vedas and Indic studies in Hindi, English and Gujarati. The courses, which will begin next month, will be offered to overseas applicants also. The infrastructure of the Swaminarayan sect will be used as study centres, sources told HT. The sect has followers in many countries, especially in the US and UK.

A senior official of the university said the courses in V edi ca nd Indic studies are aimed at creating awareness about knowledge of native people. “There are not many who can even tell the time sequence of the four Vedas. Not many re ali se what isa Veda. General perception is it isa collection of hymns. ….Vedas are a reflection of Indian civilisation and offer an insight into what society was all about,” anofficial told HT.

The official said Indic studies will focus on geographic, social and religious aspects of ancient Indian civil is at ion. They will also take into account-other spiritual sects and faiths such as Sufism.

“Since the days of colonialism we have been taught history with a particular shade; more than 70% of the time we were talking ill of the Indian society—Dal its and women-were-ill-treated-and-it-was a decrepit society. If that were true, why are there illustrious accounts of Greek people, who talk so-highly of Indian society?” the official said.

THE COURSE IN VEDIC STUDIES WILL BE OFFERED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE SWAMINARAYAN SECT