**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 238 in Lok Sabha, answered on February 2, 2026, regarding the integration of "Panch Pran" (Five Pledges) into the education system and the implementation of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The response details the initiatives undertaken by the Government of India to incorporate Indian ethos, knowledge systems, and constitutional values into school and higher education curriculums. It also mentions future action plans to strengthen experiential learning and value-based education.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Education Policy (NEP) 2020:**
* Aims to strengthen learner-centric, inclusive education rooted in Indian ethos.
* Five core focus areas: Learner Centric and Holistic Education; Digital Learning and Leveraging Technology; Institute Governance, Accreditation & Industry Collaboration; Academic Research & Internationalization and Indian Knowledge System (IKS).
* **National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023:**
* Provides five aims for school education, including developing rational thinking, promoting health, and strengthening community participation.
* Includes a chapter, "Rootedness in India," focusing on civilizational heritage and Indian Knowledge Systems.
* **Integration of Indian Knowledge System (IKS):**
* Introduction of "Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India" as an optional elective in Classes XI–XII.
* NCERT's Jaadui Pitara integrates IKS, freedom movement, constitutional values, local history, and languages for children aged 3–6 years.
* **Department of Higher Education Initiatives:**
* Promotes research, curriculum integration, and capacity building in India's traditional knowledge systems through the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) scheme.
* Implemented programs like IKS Minors Programme, IKS Interdisciplinary Research program and IKS textbook and course material writing programme.
* **University Grants Commission (UGC) Initiatives:**
* Advised Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to imbibe the spirit of Panch Pran.
* Notified the Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes (CCF-UG), focusing on holistic education rooted in constitutional values and ethical citizenship.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Students**
* **Impact:** Students will receive education rooted in Indian ethos, knowledge systems, and constitutional values, aiming to instill national pride, social unity, and responsible citizenship.
* **Action Required:** Engage with the curriculum and programs designed to integrate Indian knowledge systems and constitutional values.
**Stakeholder: Schools and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)**
* **Impact:** Schools and HEIs are required to integrate Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and the spirit of Panch Pran into their curriculum and programs.
* **Action Required:** Implement the measures outlined in NEP 2020, NCF-SE 2023, and UGC guidelines to integrate IKS, constitutional values, and holistic education.
**Stakeholder: Educators**
* **Impact:** Educators need to adapt teaching methodologies and integrate Indian knowledge systems and constitutional values into their lessons.
* **Action Required:** Participate in Faculty Development Programmes and workshops to enhance their understanding and implementation of NEP 2020 and related initiatives.
Key Entities Referenced
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: A national policy to strengthen the education system in India.
Ministry of Education: The Indian government ministry responsible for education.
Panch Pran: Five Pledges - 'freedom from colonial mindset,' 'taking pride in our own heritage,' 'strengthening national unity,' and 'fulfilling the civic duties' to be integrated into the education system.
National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023: An initiative of the Ministry of Education that provides five aims of school education.
Indian Knowledge System (IKS): Central Sector Scheme of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, promoting research, curriculum integration, and capacity building in India's traditional knowledge systems.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 238
ANSWERED ON: 02.02.2026
PANCH PRAN INTO EDUCATION SYSTEM
†238. SHRI GANESH SINGH:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the major policy initiatives and curriculum reforms undertaken by the Government so far to institutionally
integrate "freedom from colonial mindset," "taking pride in our own heritage," "strengthening national
unity," and "fulfilling the civic duties" under the 'Panch Pran' (Five Pledges) into the education system;
(b) the details of concrete programmes initiated/conducted under the New Education Policy to integrate
Indian knowledge system, the freedom movement, constitutional values, local history and languages in the
school and higher education curriculums; and
(c) the details of future action plan to further strengthen experiential learning, community service and value-
based education to inculcate the feeling of national pride, social unity and responsible citizenship among
students?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)
(a) to (c) The Government of India has framed the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 with a vision to
strengthen learner-centric, inclusive and an education system rooted in Indian ethos. Aligned with NEP,
2020, five core focus areas have been identified which includes Learner Centric and Holistic Education;
Digital Learning and Leveraging Technology; Institute Governance, Accreditation & industry
Collaboration; Academic Research & Internationalization and Indian Knowledge System (IKS).
In alignment with the above vision, the Government has undertaken several policy initiatives and curriculum
reforms across the education system. In this respect, National Curriculum Framework for School Education
(NCF-SE) 2023, an initiative of the Ministry of Education, provides five aims of school education. This
includes, the development of rational and independent thinking, promotion of health and well-being through
holistic mind-body wellness, strengthening community, economic and cultural participation. One of thechapters of NCFSE 2023 namely “Rootedness in India” focuses on civilizational heritage and the Indian
Knowledge Systems across different stages of school education.
In order to integrate Indian Knowledge System (IKS) in school curriculums, concrete measures have been
undertaken including the introduction of “Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India” as an optional
elective in Classes XI–XII. In addition, NCERT has brought out Jaadui Pitara- a collection of teaching-
learning materials for Balvatika catering children in the age group of 3–6 years. These text-books integrate
Indian Knowledge Systems, the freedom movement, constitutional values, local history and languages.
The Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, through its Central Sector Scheme i.e., Indian
Knowledge System (IKS), is promoting research, curriculum integration, and capacity building in India’s
traditional knowledge systems, with the objectives aligned with Panch Pran. The scheme has implemented
several programmes to promote IKS in education system such as IKS Minors Programme, IKS
Interdisciplinary Research through IKS Research for Proposals Program and IKS Research Centre Proposals
Program, IKS textbook and course material writing programme, IKS Institutional Internships, IKS
Panchatantra Project, Faculty Development Programmes and workshops, Digitization & Bhāratīya Jñāna
Saritā and IKS Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (IKS-TKDL) Workshop.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has also advised Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to evolve
appropriate modalities for imbibing the spirit of Panch Pran in Higher Education System. UGC has also
notified the Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes (CCF-UG). This
programme focuses on comprehensive curricular and institutional reforms to foster holistic education rooted
in constitutional values, ethical citizenship, cultural awareness, national integration and responsible civic
conduct.
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