Madhya Pradesh Mandates RSS-authored Books in College Curriculum, Sparks Political Controversy
Bhopal: The BJP-led Madhya Pradesh Government has recently mandated that colleges across the state incorporate books authored by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders into their curricula. This directive, issued by the M. P. Higher Education Department, has ignited a political debate.
In a communication to the principals of both government and private colleges, Dr. Dhirendra Shukla, a senior official from the Higher Education Department, instructed institutions to procure a set of 88 books. The list prominently features works by RSS figures such as Suresh Soni, Dinanath Batra, Dr. Atul Kothari, and Devendra Rao Deshmukh, among others associated with Vidya Bharti, the RSS’s educational wing.
Notable among these are 14 books by Dinanath Batra, a prominent RSS ideologue, and several works by Dr. Atul Kothari, who has a history with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), an RSS affiliate. The list also includes books on Vedic Mathematics and compilations from Vidya Bharti.
The directive aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes traditional Indian knowledge systems through the establishment of Bharatiya Gyan Parampara Prakosth (Cell for imparting traditional knowledge). Government colleges are required to fund these purchases through public-private partnerships, while private institutions must use their own resources.
The order follows a June statement by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, who proposed integrating teachings of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna into the educational curriculum. Yadav, a former Higher Education Minister, has been a proponent of embedding Indian cultural and religious values in education.
Opposition leaders, including Congress’s K. K. Mishra, have criticized the move, arguing that the books are ideologically motivated rather than educationally beneficial. Mishra has vowed to reverse the directive if the Congress comes to power, questioning the ability of these books to foster patriotism and sacrifice.
In contrast, BJP’s state unit president VD Sharma defended the move, claiming that the selected books will enhance students’ knowledge and counteract the perceived leftist bias of previous educational materials. Sharma accused past Congress-led administrations of promoting anti-national ideologies and asserted that the current directive corrects this imbalance.
As the debate continues, the Higher Education Department has yet to formally address the opposition’s critiques, while the political ramifications of this educational policy change remain to be seen.
