Science and Belief in the IITs: The Debate Over the Indian Knowledge System
A new push to integrate traditional knowledge into modern curricula has sparked a debate over the definition of science, the role of belief, and the future of India’s premier technical institutions.
The Pre-requisite: Understanding the IKS Framework
To understand the ongoing debate surrounding the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) in institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), one must first grasp the key terms, policy shifts, and institutional bodies driving this change. This section provides the foundational context.
KEY TERMS
- Indian Knowledge System (IKS) — An umbrella term for the body of knowledge developed on the Indian subcontinent, encompassing fields such as logic (Nyaya), linguistics (Panini), mathematics, astronomy, metallurgy, medicine (Ayurveda), and architecture (Vastu Shastra). The current government initiative aims to formalise its study and integrate it into the mainstream education system.
- National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 — A comprehensive framework for transforming India's education sector, based on the 2019 draft report by the K. Kasturirangan Committee. Approved by the Union Cabinet on July 29, 2020, it explicitly mandates the promotion of IKS to connect students with their heritage.
- Scientific Temper — A term referring to an attitude of logical and rational thinking, popularised by India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. It is enshrined in the Constitution of India under Article 51A(h) as a fundamental duty for every citizen.
BACKGROUND & TIMELINE
The formal push to integrate IKS into modern education gained significant policy momentum with the adoption of the NEP.
- Pre-2020: Discussions on incorporating traditional Indian knowledge into curricula existed in academic and policy circles, often framed within a post-colonial discourse of reclaiming indigenous intellectual traditions.
- July 29, 2020: The Union Cabinet approves the National Education Policy 2020. Chapter 4 of the policy is dedicated to promoting Indian languages, arts, and culture, and calls for the integration of IKS into all levels of education in a scientific manner.
- October 2020: The Ministry of Education establishes a dedicated IKS Division to coordinate and guide all related initiatives nationwide.
- 2022-2024: The University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) release guidelines for introducing IKS courses. Several IITs, including Kharagpur, Bombay, Kanpur, and Mandi, establish dedicated IKS centres.
- 2025-2026: The implementation phase matures, with some IKS centres at IITs initiating research into topics that critics describe as metaphysical, such as consciousness and reincarnation, prompting a wider public debate.
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
Several government bodies are responsible for the policy and implementation of IKS in higher education.
- Ministry of Education, Government of India: The nodal ministry responsible for formulating and implementing the National Education Policy. It established the IKS Division to spearhead the initiative.
- IKS Division: Housed within the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) since 2020, this body is tasked with promoting interdisciplinary research, developing curricula, and building a repository of IKS resources. It acts as the central coordinating body for the initiative.
- University Grants Commission (UGC): The primary regulator for universities in India, the UGC has issued guidelines for introducing IKS as a credit-based course and has encouraged universities to establish their own IKS centres.
The Main Explainer: Deconstructing the IKS Debate
The introduction of Indian Knowledge System (IKS) centres and courses in the IITs has created a sharp divide. On one side is the government's vision of an education system rooted in India's civilisational heritage; on the other are concerns from prominent scientists and academics about the potential dilution of scientific rigour.
### What is the official vision for IKS in education?
The government's push for IKS is anchored in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to create an education system that is “deeply rooted in Indian ethos”. According to the Ministry of Education's IKS Division, the objective is to “promote interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research on all aspects of IKS” and to “facilitate the integration of IKS in the curriculum.” The official rationale is to decolonise the curriculum by reducing over-reliance on Western-centric knowledge, foster national pride, and explore traditional knowledge for modern applications.
Implementation is being carried out through a centrally-guided structure. The IKS Division, established in 2020 under the AICTE, is responsible for funding research and setting up centres. According to official data from the IKS Division, it has sanctioned over 150 research projects and helped establish IKS Centres across India since its inception. These centres are intended to be hubs for developing courses and conducting research that connects modern science with traditional Indian knowledge.
### What are the specific concerns raised by critics?
The primary criticism is not against the study of India's intellectual history, but against what is perceived as the inclusion of mythology and metaphysics under the guise of science. Vasudevan Mukunth, in an analysis for The Hindu (June 23, 2026), argues that while a legitimate IKS would focus on verifiable contributions like Panini's linguistics or the Kerala school of mathematics, the current project is a “Trojan horse” intended to “embed myth-based inquiries in the framework of the IITs”.
Critics point to specific research areas at certain IKS centres as evidence. The IKS hubs at IIT-Kanpur and IIT-Mandi, for instance, have become prominent in research on “consciousness”, “reincarnation”, and “Vedic biology”. The concern, as per their public statements, is that these non-falsifiable topics are being given a platform of legitimacy within institutions respected for their scientific output. This, they argue, blurs the line between history and science, potentially undermining the scientific temper that Article 51A(h) of the Constitution obligates citizens to promote, namely the “spirit of inquiry and reform”.
### How is this conflict playing out within the IITs?
The IITs, established by the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961, are mandated under Section 4(1) of the Act to be institutions of national importance for education in engineering and technology. The introduction of IKS has created an internal tension. As centrally funded institutions, they are expected to align with national policies like the NEP 2020. However, their faculty and academic councils have a tradition of upholding rigorous, peer-reviewed academic standards.
The debate has been amplified by the leadership at some institutions. For example, public statements by IIT-Mandi director Laxmidhar Behera and the institute's focus on certain IKS themes have been cited by critics as examples of a push towards what they term “Puranic science”. The core conflict is whether the new IKS centres will function as rigorous humanities departments studying India's intellectual history, or as platforms for promoting belief systems as science. The outcome of this internal debate is expected to shape the future academic direction of the IITs.
The Conclusion: A Crossroads for Indian Science and Education
The debate over the Indian Knowledge System in the IITs represents a defining moment for the future of Indian higher education and its relationship with science, history, and national identity. The issue has reached a critical juncture as the policy framework of the NEP 2020 moves into active implementation. With dedicated IKS centres established between 2022 and 2026, and curricula being developed, the abstract policy is translating into tangible academic practice. The controversy is escalating because the specific research topics emerging from these centres are moving from proposal to reality, forcing a confrontation with the implications of integrating metaphysical concepts into scientific institutions.
The government's commitment, embedded in its flagship education policy, suggests the push for IKS is unlikely to recede. A further expansion of IKS centres and dedicated funding allocations are anticipated. The next major flashpoint will likely be the formal five-year review of the NEP 2020's implementation, scheduled around 2028, where outcomes and criticisms will be formally assessed. The central implication of this debate concerns the academic identity and global standing of India's premier scientific institutions. The IITs have built a reputation on scientific rigour, and the current challenge forces a national conversation on whether this identity should be expanded to include civilisational knowledge that may not conform to empirical methods. How India navigates this will determine whether IKS enriches education with historical context or dilutes its scientific core, impacting both its global competitiveness and the constitutional mandate under Article 51A(h) to foster a spirit of inquiry.