Delay in translated books a deterrent in plan to teach Bhagavad Gita in primary schools across Gujarat

Of popular references

Over 98% of the schools run by the state are Gujarati medium. For higher sections, a chapter was introduced in the textbooks to familiarise the students with the scripture. For instance, a chapter in a Class 9 textbook talks about American physicist and creator of the atom bomb J Robert Oppenheimer reading the Gita and how it shaped the “philosophy of his life”.

The chapter: ‘My Guide-The Gita’ states, “He (Oppenheimer) mentioned that he quoted a verse from the Gita at the time of witnessing the explosion of the atom bomb for the first time. How he must have studied Gita. You may be surprised to learn that he studied the Gita! You may be surprised to learn that he studied the Bhagavad Gita in its original Sanskrit form. He has confessed that the Gita has played a crucial role in shaping the philosophy of his life.”

Meanwhile, Gujarat Council of Educational Research and Training (GCERT) Director Prakash Trivedi said: “It was planned to introduce the Bhagavad Gita in all mediums for Class 6-8 but this could not happen due to delay in the translation work.” The GCERT prepares and approves the curriculum for primary schools.

Notably, the schools have sent reminders to Gujarat State School Textbook Board (GSSTB), which supplies textbooks to all the schools, demanding the Bhagavad Gita books in other mediums. “Along with a shortage of other books, authorities were informed about the Gita too,” Ahmedabad Municipal School Board Administrative Officer L D Desai said.

Ahmedabad has Gujarati, Hindi, English and Urdu medium schools. GSSTB Director V R Gosai told The Indian Express, “The Gujarat State School Textbook Board can print and provide textbooks to schools after approval from the GCERT.” Moreover, in the coming academic session 2025-26 too, while the Gujarati medium students of Class 6-8 will study part 2 of the Bhagavad Gita textbook, only English medium students will be provided with the translated textbooks.

Other mediums are most likely to wait for another year as according to officials, the English medium textbook can only be prepared for the 2025-26 academic session. For Classes 9-12, two mandated chapters each are added in the first language textbooks itself and taught as a part of the language curriculum. Out of 32,000 government primary schools in Gujarat, 31,600 are Gujarati medium while remaining 400 are in English, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi and Odia medium. As per the state government’s latest records, of the total 50,43,000 enrollments, nearly 48,97,000 students are in Gujarati medium. The plan to introduce the Gita in schools was first announced in 2022-23 but the actual introduction was made in the academic session 2024-25.

Patriotism, Govt schemes, fasting…

Textbooks analysed by The Indian Express found the following:

* A chapter titled, ‘Guiding Light to Patriotism’, in a Class 10 textbook lauds heroes from the freedom movement.

* The Class 9 textbook that cites Oppenheimer also mentions American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, Scottish historian and philosopher Thomas Carlyle, American philosopher Henry David Thoreau, English writer Aldous Huxley, German philosopher Wilhelm von Humboldt and Albert Einstein as having been inspired by the Gita.

* The same Class 9 textbook also lists schemes of the Centre and Gujarat governments claiming “solutions to today’s personal, social, national and global problems are given in the Gita”.

* The textbook annexes an exercise on religious fasts that says, “Your favourite dish is in front of you, but that day you are on a fast… what will you do? Discuss this in the class. When are the fasts such as Ekadasi, Ekasana, Atthai (both fasts by Jains), Roza (Muslims) and Good Friday (Christians) done and why?” directing students to get answers from “elders”.

* An expert from the curriculum framework committee behind the new chapters, Dinesh Majithia, told The Indian Express, “The Gita is not a scripture of any single religion; the Gita is meant for the entire humanity. These aspects have been covered in these standards. In Classes 6, 7, and 8, the focus will be on stories with illustrations suitable for the respective age groups”.

* Another chapter in the Class 9 textbook recommends specific verses in the Gita before taking exams. “… You might have experienced that hands begin to shake and your stomach begins to churn in such a state of mind… isn’t it? God directs us in Gita to get rid of such weak thoughts and instead plant assertive and rational thoughts,” it says.

* Citing “depression and addiction” as two challenges today’s youths are grappling with, minister Praful Pansheriya had told The Indian Express, “As Gita teaches us to work without expecting results, this addresses your depression. If children are taught this from the beginning, they are free from depression.”

* GSSTB Academic Secretary told The Indian Express, “While finalising the curriculum, the emphasis was on the values that children should learn. The National Education Policy 2020 emphasises India’s knowledge systems. In line with this, the Gujarat government has decided to incorporate the values of Gita into the curriculum. Based on the chapters, (the teaching of) Gita has been divided into three (parts): Karma in Class 9, Bhakti in Class 10 and Gyan in Class 11 and 12.