A Karnataka education policy panel’s position paper has claimed that the Pythagoras theorem has Vedic roots, The Times of India reported on Sunday.
The proposal is backed by a task force, which is assigned with implementing the National Education Policy in the state. Every state has been tasked with submitting their position papers on the National Council of Educational Research and Training website.
“This is the interpretation of the group,” said Madan Gopal, chairman of the task force for Karnataka’s primary and secondary education department. “Gravity and Pythagoras have roots in Vedic maths. This is an Indic-centred approach.”
Gopal said that a lot of information to back this claim is available on the internet.
“For instance, it is believed that Baudhayan [ancient Indian mathematician] had laid down Pythagoras’ theorem in Vedic texts,” Gopal added. “This is a viewpoint. You may or may not agree with it.”
The Karnataka government has formed 26 committees to prepare position papers on school syllabus, India Today reported. Each position paper is led by a chairman and five to six eminent educationists.
One of the proposals made in a position paper for Karnataka is to encourage students to question “how fake news such as Pythagoras theorem, apple falling on Newton’s head...are being created and propagated”.
“Many of the theorems are debated in all international forums,” Gopal said, according to India Today. “Debate is part of evolving scientific temper. Accepting blindly is not correct, according to me. Let there be debate. Let there be discussions. Let there be scientific evidence and archeological evidence.”
According to The Times of India, meetings held to review the position papers resulted in heated arguments.
However, Gopal dismissed the objections raised against the paper.
“This paper has been prepared under the chairmanship of an eminent IIT [Indian Institute of Technology] professor,” he said. “It has been vetted and accepted by the state government.”
According to The Times of India, the paper criticises the current education system for “ignoring achievements of their own ancestors”.
The paper stated: “Policies at both the state and the central level which in the garb of secularisation have systematically ushered our impressionable minds into the zone of rootlessness and ignorance of the achievements by their very own ancestors.”
The paper also suggested teaching Sanskrit as a third language to all school-going children, The Times of India reported.
“In the land of thousands of languages, at least three languages must be taught – the regional language, English and another Bharatiya [Indian] language, preferably Sanskrit,” the paper added.
Gopal said that so far over 800 position papers have been submitted to the National Council of Educational Research and Training from all over India, reported India Today. Suggestions made in these papers act as a guiding principle to create a national curriculum framework.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!