Lok Sabha Question No. 5113 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-04-03
Subject: Agriculture Subject in School Education
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Rajeshbhai Naranbhai Chudasama

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5113 ANSWERED ON 03/04/2023

## Agriculture Subject in School Education

5113. SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government agrees with the view that for integrating education with rural development, agriculture should be a subject in primary schools in both rural and urban areas;

- (b) if so, the steps that have been taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard;

(c)  whether  it  is  true,  that  the  school  education  should  be  adopted  in  such  a  manner  where agriculture  and  related  sciences  is  included  in  the  school  curriculum  for  introducing  agricultural courses as a preferred option for the students under the New Education Policy (NEP), 2020; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## (SMT ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) to (d) Agriculture  has  been  mentioned  in  Para  4.27,  5.25,  17.7,  20.3,  23.9  and  4.30  of National Education Policy (NEP) - 2020.

Para 4.27 of National Education Policy (NEP) 2022 refers to the traditional knowledge of India that is both sustainable and strives for the welfare of all. Para 5.6 is refers to hiring of local eminent persons or experts as 'master instructors' in various subjects, such as in traditional local arts,  vocational  crafts,  entrepreneurship,  agriculture,  or  any  other  subject  where  local  expertise exists,  to  benefit  students  and  help  preserve  and  promote  local  knowledge  and  professions.  Para 20.3 of NEP mentioned that 'Both capacity and quality of agriculture and allied disciplines must be improved  in  order  to  increase  agricultural  productivity  through  better  skilled  graduates  and technicians, innovative research, and market-based extension linked to technologies and practices.

National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) under Ministry of Education, has Agriculture based courses which are offered as Certificate and Diploma courses. NIOS also provides academic courses at secondary and senior secondary level, vocational & skill development programmes, open basic education and teacher education programmes through open and distance learning mode. NIOS has  initiated  a  Senior  Secondary  course  ' Krishi:  Production,  Processing  and  Marketing '  for NIOS  learners,  as  one  of  the  subject  at  the  Senior  Secondary  level.  The  Senior  Secondary agriculture course provides opportunities to learn basic agricultural skills and  knowledge, employability skills, and professional growth and development.

The National Curriculum Framework has a list of 25 areas Identified for the Focus Group Papers  and  Knowledge  of  India  is  part  of  Cross-cutting  theme.  Draft  Position  papers  have  been prepared at National and State level.

In  order  to  incorporate  these  elements  in  a  scientific  manner,  Ministry  of  Education  has established Indian Knowledge System (IKS) Division in AICTE in 2020 with a vision to promote interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research on all aspects of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), preserve  and  disseminate  IKS  knowledge  for  further  research  and  societal  applications,  which includes agriculture.

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