Lok Sabha Question No. 1192 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-25
Subject: Study of Agriculture in School Curriculum
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Shivkumar Chanabasappa Udasi, Ramdas Chandrabhanji Tadas, Arun Sao, Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre, Ranjeetsingh Naik Nimbalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1192 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 TH JULY, 2022

## Study of Agriculture in School Curriculum

## 1192. SHRI SHIVAKUMAR C. UDASI:

SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS:

SHRI ARUN SAO:

SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE:

SHRI RANJEETSINGH HINDURAO NAIK NIMBALKAR:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government plan to include Agriculture as part of school curriculum;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  development  of  policy  and  pathway  to  introduce Agriculture as a subject in course/curriculum and provide options to students to explore a career in various areas of the farm sector like farming, dairy farming, Organic farming etc.; and

(d) the details of provision included in National Education Policy, 2022 for promoting Agriculture in Schools in Higher Education?

## 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.

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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