Vedic Maths courses in 7 UGC-backed universities, says minister in RS; SSA rolling out teacher training

Out of the total 46 higher education institutions to which University Grants Commission (UGC) provides grants, seven universities have so far introduced courses on Vedic mathematics, with the union government investing Rs 2.61 crore over three years to promote the ancient Indian calculation system in formal academic frameworks.

Minister of state for education Sukanta Majumdar informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that apart from these seven universities, three institutes provide certificate, elective or minor programmes. The question was raised by BJP MP from West Bengal Samik Bhattacharya.

Vedic Maths, an ancient Indian system , offers a unique approach to problem-solving with its emphasis on mental math techniques. In 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked parents to teach Vedic Mathematics to their children, during his Maan Ki Baat event.

Vedic Maths: DU, BHU among 7 universities running course

The seven universities enlisted in the reply by the minister included:

• University of Delhi

• Dr. HS Gour Vishwavidyalaya

• Banaras Hindu University

• Central University of Himachal Pradesh

• Central University of Punjab

• HNB Garhwal University

• Central Sanskrit University

The Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT ) Allahabad, Chaudhary Charan Singh University Meerut, and universities in Haryana and Tamil Nadu have introduced Vedic Mathematics as certificate, elective, or minor programmes.

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Vedic Maths through Indian Knowledge System

Majumdar also added that the education ministry, through its central sector scheme “Indian Knowledge Systems” (IKS) is actively promoting research and academic initiatives in India’s rich mathematical heritage, including Vedic Mathematics.

“Bharatiya Jnana Parampara Vibhaga'' – IKS Division – an important project of the ministry of education, was launched in October 2020. A one-day workshop on research in Indian traditional knowledge in March that year had led to its creation.

Housed in premises of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the division first invited proposals from educational institutions for establishing IKS Research Centres (Gaveshana), IKS Teacher Training Centres (Shikshaka Prashikshanam), and IKS Bhasha Kendras to conduct research.

Later, the UGC drafted guidelines asking educational institutions to start IKS courses and permitted 5% of the credits at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels to be earned through these IKS courses .

Under the scheme, according to Majumdar, several dedicated research and training centres have been established. These centres are:

• IKS Centre for Jaina Mathematics at Devi Ahilya University, Indore, a state university in Madhya Pradesh

• IKS Shikshaka Prashikshana Kendram for Ancient Indian Mathematics and Astronomy at the University of Delhi

• The Yukti Prasarana Kendram at Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Viswa Mahavidyalaya, a deemed university at Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu.

The scheme has also supported five major research projects.

“This reflects the government’s structured efforts — through UGC and IKS — to promote Vedic Mathematics within formal academic frameworks,” said Majumdar.

Bhattacharya had also raised questions on the total fund allocated for the promotion of Vedic Mathematics in the last five years.

Majumdar replied, “Funding has been provided for 15 internships and the development of two textbooks focused on Indian mathematics. Over the past three years, a total amount of Rs 2.61 crore has been sanctioned under the IKS scheme for initiatives pertaining to Indian mathematical traditions.”

Vedic Mathematics: ‘10 lakh’ teachers needed

This number of Vedic mathematicians has not been provided by the minister stating that schools and higher education institutions being a part of concurrent list come under the purview of the state/UTs.

However, Gaurav Tekriwal, founder of Vedic Maths Forum India, places the number of professionals needed to the “tune of 10 lakh” in schools – be it CBSE, CISCE or state boards.

Vedic Maths Forum has been working with the government to implement Vedic Mathematics in schools under Samagra Siksha Abhiyan . Established in 2008, it is an organisation working to revive and promote Vedic Mathematics.

States and UTs like Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Sikkim, Manipur, Delhi, Assam have implemented it as well.

"We have 5 teachers per school catering to junior schools. For middle and senior schools, the teacher requirement can be more. The requirement would be 1.5 lakh teachers alone for CBSE schools,” said Tekriwal.

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Vedic Maths and Samagra Siksha Abhiyan

Uttar Pradesh recently incorporated Vedic Mathematics in grades 6-8 through NCERT textbooks, while states like Sikkim, Manipur, Delhi, and Assam have launched teacher training workshops.

Tekriwal said, “It is heartening to see Vedic Mathematics find a place in the Rajya Sabha discourse. The acknowledgement by the minister is a significant step towards reviving India’s rich mathematical heritage and integrating it into modern education.”

“Uttar Pradesh has recently implemented Vedic maths in classes 6-8 by including the subject in National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) books. IIIT Allahabad has a partnership with Vedic Maths Forum India for the training of students. Capacity building in Vedic maths is important and must be done by the government,” Tekriwal added.

The forum is training teachers across the state where it is working.

Samagra Shiksha, Sikkim, in collaboration with the forum conducted Vedic Maths Workshop for 118 in-service teachers of government schools in Gangtok, Sikkim in 2024, with a base line test conducted before and after the training.

At Dadar and Nagar Haveli, the project was undertaken in 2022 where a workshop was conducted for 342 in-service teachers of primary and secondary classes in Silvassa. Further 30 trainers were selected for the Master Trainer's Workshop based on their performance in the baseline test by the department.

In the UT of Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, the Department of Education in Silvassa aimed to improve math education by training 6,750 class 9 students in Vedic Mathematics to enhance numeracy levels and make learning easier.

“After the master trainer's baseline test, we were able to show an average score of 70.37% in 22 teachers in the Union Territory. The teachers shared that there is a phobia around Maths in classrooms. So getting rid of the phobia and generating a positive environment around which students can develop a love and interest for Maths is the dire need of the day,” added Tekriwal.

Manipur took a lead implementing the scheme in 2020 where a five day workshop was conducted with 35 teachers.

While in Delhi in 2023, the then director, Directorate of Education (DoE) and now CBSE secretary Himanshu Gupta had asked schools to adopt abacus and vedic mathematics to conquer fear of mathematics.

In March this year, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis had announced that the state government will support establishment of a Centre of Excellence based on Vedic Mathematics to promote the ancient Indian knowledge system and make it accessible to students across the state.