**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer to Unstarred Question No. 2397 in the Lok Sabha, answered on December 15, 2025, regarding study and research in Vedic Astrology. It outlines the government's stance and initiatives concerning Vedic sciences, including astrology and astronomy, within the Indian education system. The document covers the period from 2024 to 2031 and specifies financial outlays for related schemes.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Government's Stance on Vedic Sciences:**
* The Government of India promotes research and study of India's traditional knowledge systems, including Vedic sciences.
* Education is a subject listed in the Concurrent List, empowering both Union and State governments to legislate on educational matters.
* **University Grants Commission (UGC):**
* UGC has formulated guidelines for the introduction of courses based on Indian Heritage and Culture, including astrology and Vedic mathematics.
* Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) have been requested to take necessary steps as per UGC guidelines.
* **Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Scheme:**
* A central sector scheme, “Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS),” has been approved with an outlay of Rs. 405.78 Cr for the five-year period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2030.
* The IKS scheme supports research projects and internships in observational astronomy (Drik Jyotisha) and model-based astronomy (Siddhanta Jyotisha) for Panchanga calculations and calendar system corrections.
* **Gyan Bharatam Mission:**
* The "Gyan Bharatam Mission" is a Central Sector Scheme approved to preserve, document, and disseminate India's rich manuscript heritage for the period 2024-31, with a total allocation of ₹482.85 crores.
* Over 44.07 lakh manuscripts have been documented in the Kriti Sampada digital repository.
* **Department of Science & Technology (DST):**
* DST promotes astronomical research through supported institutes, including the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) and the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES).
* **Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021:**
* The IT Rules, 2021, obligate intermediary platforms to prevent the hosting, sharing, or transmission of misinformation and false information on the Indian internet.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs)**
* **Impact:** Required to take necessary steps as per UGC guidelines to introduce courses based on Indian Heritage and Culture, including astrology and Vedic mathematics.
* **Action Required:** Review and implement UGC guidelines for incorporating relevant courses into their curricula.
**Stakeholder: Students and Researchers**
* **Impact:** Opportunity for research projects and internships in observational astronomy and model-based astronomy under the IKS scheme.
* **Action Required:** Explore available research opportunities and internships to further studies in Vedic sciences.
**Stakeholder: Intermediary Platforms (e.g., social media, websites)**
* **Impact:** Obligated to prevent the spread of misinformation and false information related to astrology and astronomy.
* **Action Required:** Implement measures to identify and remove prohibited information as per the IT Rules, 2021.
**Stakeholder: Department of Science and Technology and related astronomical institutions.**
* **Impact:** They continue to promote and support astronomical research.
* **Action Required:** Continue to execute existing operations.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Education: The central ministry responding to the parliamentary question about promoting Vedic Astrology.
Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS): A central sector scheme of the Ministry of Education with a financial outlay to promote research and internships in observational astronomy and model-based astronomy.
Gyan Bharatam Mission: A central sector scheme to preserve, document, and disseminate India's manuscript heritage.
IT Rules, 2021: Rules that cast obligations on intermediary platforms to not allow hosting, sharing, uploading, transmitting, etc. of any prohibited information that includes misinformation and patently false information on the Indian Internet or that impersonates another person.
University Grants Commission (UGC): The UGC has formulated guidelines for the introduction of courses based on Indian Heritage and Culture, including astrology and vedic mathematics.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
LOKSABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2397
ANSWERED ON 15.12.2025
Study and Research in Vedic Astrology
2397. Shri Parshottambhai Rupala:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the Hon’ble Bombay High Court has remarked that astrology is a
science and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the details of the action taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to promote
genuine Study and Research in Vedic Astrology and to establish a Standing Advisory Board
for Astronomy; and
(c) the details of the initiatives taken by the Government in collaboration with relevant
stakeholders to oversee the rapidly expanding Astrological Sector and check fraudulent
activities by unscrupulous Astrologers, especially those providing online astrology
consultations?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)
(a) to (c): As per the Constitution of India, education is a subject listed in the Concurrent List
empowering both the Union government and the State governments to legislate on
educational matters.
The Government of India promotes research and study of India’s traditional knowledge
systems, including Vedic sciences, through academic, research, and institutional measures.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has formulated guidelines for the introduction of
courses based on Indian Heritage and Culture, including astrology & vedic mathematics and
has requested all Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to take necessary steps as per
guidelines.
Ministry of Education has approved a central sector scheme “Indian Knowledge Systems
(IKS)” with an outlay of Rs. 405.78 Cr for the next five year commencing from 01.04.2025 to
31.03.2030. Under the IKS scheme, various research projects and internships in observational
astronomy (Drik Jyotisha), and model based astronomy (Siddhanta Jyotisha) for Panchanga
calculations, and corrections to calendar systems have been supported.
The Government of India has approved the “Gyan Bharatam Mission” a Central Sector
Scheme with an aim to preserve, document, and disseminate India’s rich manuscript heritagefor the period 2024-31 with a total allocation of ₹482.85 crores and with over 44.07 lakh
manuscripts already documented in the Kriti Sampada digital repository.
The Department of Science & Technology (DST) promotes astronomical research through its
supported institutes including the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) and the Aryabhatta
Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES).
The IT Rules, 2021 cast the obligations on the intermediary platforms to not allow hosting,
sharing, uploading, transmitting, etc. of any prohibited information that includes information
which is misinformation and patently false information on the Indian Internet or that
impersonates another person.
******