Education
AICTE Accredits Bhartiya Shiksha Board as Pan-India Education Authority
New Delhi, India – In a groundbreaking move, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has officially granted accreditation to the Bhartiya Shiksha Board (BSB) as a nationwide school education authority. This accreditation, endorsed by the Union Education Ministry’s higher education department, signifies a significant milestone for the BSB, which was founded in 2019.
The Bhartiya Shiksha Board’s primary mission is to provide students with a well-rounded education that blends traditional Indian knowledge systems with contemporary science and technology. AICTE has issued a directive to all engineering and technical colleges under its purview to recognize BSB as equivalent to other national school boards, such as the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Indian Council of Secondary Education (ICSE).
It’s been said in a notice that the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has given the same value to Bhartiya Shiksha Board (BSB) as other school boards in India. They’ve confirmed this in a letter dated August 3, 2022, which means BSB’s Grade 10 and Grade 12 exams are equal to those of other Indian school boards. So, people should think of Bhartiya Shiksha Board as a national school board in India.
Reviving Traditional Indian Knowledge Systems
The Bhartiya Shiksha Board (BSB), co-founded by yoga teacher Ramdev and Patanjali’s Balkrishna, has a lofty goal of reviving India’s traditional knowledge systems by replacing the education policy developed by Thomas Babington Macaulay. The BSB seeks to instill the Bhartiya Gyan Parampara (Indian knowledge tradition) and the Gurukul system, believing that the Macaulay education system, introduced during British colonial rule in the 19th century, is incongruent with Indian culture and values.
BSB’s Innovative Curriculum
The curriculum offered by the Bhartiya Shiksha Board is an innovative fusion of ancient Indian wisdom and contemporary scientific knowledge and technology. Highlights of the curriculum include:
- Promoting respect for India’s diverse multicultural identity through pan-Indian textbooks that integrate regional literature from all states of the nation.
- A strong emphasis on developing STEAM (Science, Technology, English, Arts, and Mathematics) competencies in students.
- Inclusion of subjects such as Computer Programming, Vocational Education and Training, Yoga, Sports, and Fine and Performing Arts Training.
- A focus on skill development in all subjects through the Four-Block learning approach, which includes shared, guided, and independent practice.
- Creation of hybrid textbooks that incorporate integrated digital content accessible via QR codes.
The accreditation of Bhartiya Shiksha Board by AICTE marks a significant step toward reshaping India’s education landscape and reaffirms the commitment to preserving and promoting traditional Indian knowledge systems alongside modern education.