Yogi govt to include chapter on Deendayal in school curriculum

After it’s approved by the state government, the chapter on Upadhyay and his ideology of ‘Ekatm Manavaad’ will be taught to students of Class IX and above. The chapter is likely to be included in the subject of Civics.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath (Source: PTI/File)

THE ADITYANATH government is reportedly working towards including a chapter on BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay in the curriculum of UP Secondary Education Board from the next academic session. Officials said that the Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad had discussed a proposal in this regard last week. After it’s approved by the state government, the chapter on Upadhyay and his ideology of ‘Ekatm Manavaad’ will be taught to students of Class IX and above. The chapter is likely to be included in the subject of Civics.

Last month, in a letter to Arun Mishra, president of Deendayal Upadhyay Seva Pratisthan — which is run by BJP leaders — the secretary of the board had asked him to provide the content related to ‘Ekatm Manavaad’. “I have sent detailed information about Deendayal and his ideology to the Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad. His biography too has been sent to the department,” said Mishra, who has earlier been posted as the general secretary of the BJP publication cell.

Officials said a committee comprising education department officials and experts have been set up to discuss and finalise the changes in the curriculum.

When contacted, Board Secretary Neena Srivastava said while the committee had met once, she could not comment on the details as the matter is under consideration.

Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, who also looks after the secondary education portfolio, said a committee has been formed to review the syllabus and make changes if required. Asked about the proposed chapter on Upadhyay, he said: “The report of the committee is awaited.”

The BJP and the state government are currently celebrating Upadhyay’s birth centenary year by organising various activities to propagate his ideology.

The party is organising various programmes to connect to different castes and also making students aware about the ideologies of Upadhyay and RSS. Recently, the Centre has approved a proposal of the Adityanath government to rename the iconic Mughalsarai railway station in Chandauli after Upadhyay, who was found dead at the station in 1968.

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The state cabinet, in June, had decided to rename Mughalsarai Nagar Palika as Deendayal Nagar. Also, the cabinet had decided to rename the Padao crossing in the city as Pandit Deendayal Chowk. In April, the state government had approved a proposal to name the civil terminal at Agra airport after Upadhyay.

Lalmani Verma

Lalmani is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, and is based in New Delhi. He covers politics of the Hindi Heartland, tracking BJP, Samajwadi Party, BSP, RLD and other parties based in UP, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Covered the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, 2019 and 2024; Assembly polls of 2012, 2017 and 2022 in UP along with government affairs in UP and Uttarakhand. ... Read More

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