Indian Government Introduce courses in yoga studies at universities

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Indian universities may soon be offering courses in yoga studies. The ministry of Human Resource Development has assigned a committee to develop department of Yogic Art and Science for universities across the country, said media reports.

The 12-member committee will identify courses as well as the qualification for faculty members and eligibility criteria for students opting for studying yoga in higher education. The committee, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's yoga teacher H R Nagendra, is expected to present its first report on yoga departments by the end of February, according to The Indian Express.



The decision to start a separate department devoted to studies of yogic science was taken in early January in a meeting chaired by Human Resource Development minister Smriti Irani, the report said.

Popularising yoga has been one of the core agendas of the Indian government since Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came into power in May 2014. Proclamation of 21 June as the International Day of Yoga by United Nations General Assembly was the country's first milestone in this regard.

Proposed by Narendra Modi and introduced by India's Ambassador to UN Asoke Mukerji, the resolution on International Day of Yoga received an overwhelming support from over 170 member states. The resolution considered yoga's role in promoting sustainable development as it embodies the unity of mind and action.


Though India has several yoga schools, the inclusion of yoga studies in universities will bring the ancient knowledge into mainstream education. However, the move may fall prey to suspicion of being a political propaganda of the government, which has been blamed for politicising yoga for subtly promoting its Hindu nationalist ideologies as yoga is often perceived as a Hindu religious practice.