Lok Sabha Question No. 3462 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-08
Subject: Yoga Education in Universities
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.3462 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2016

## Yoga Education in Universities

## 3462. SHRIMATI POONAMBEN MAADAM:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  it  is  mandatory  for  the  universities  to  adopt  modules  from  the  syllabus prepared by the Committee on Yoga Education in Universities for the courses offered by them;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has established that yoga practice has been a successful treatment of ailments cured through physiotherapy;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether any research has been undertaken in the past year to establish the same;
- (f) if so, the details thereof;
- (g) whether the Committee on Yoga Education in Universities include a physiotherapist; and
- (h) if so, whether the Ministry gives preference to candidates with 'requisite expertise in Yoga' for graduate admissions in physiotherapy courses?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (Dr. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)

- (a) & (b): The Central Government had appointed a committee, under the chairpersonship of Prof. H.R.  Nagendra,  Chancellor,  Swami  Vivekananda  Yoga Anusandhana  Samsthana,  Bengaluru  (S-VYASA)  for  making  recommendations  on Yoga  Education  in  Universities.  The  Committee  has  prescribed  curriculum  for  Yoga courses  in  its  recommendations.  The  recommendations  will  help  the  Universities  in formulating their curriculum for Yoga courses offered by them. The UGC has informed that  Universities  are  autonomous  in  the  matter  of  adopting  the  modules  from  the syllabus prepared by the committee.

(c)  to  (f):  Yoga  is  a  traditional  Indian  psycho-philosophical-cultural  method  of  leading one's life, that alleviates stress, induces relaxation and provides multiple health benefits to the persons following its system.

(g): The members of the committee for promoting Yoga education in Universities are the following:

- (i) Prof.  H.R.  Nagendra,  Chancellor,  Swami  Vivekananda  Yoga  Anusandhana Samsthana, Bengaluru - Chairperson.
- (ii) Prof.  Suresh  Lal  Barnawal,  Head,  Department  of  Yoga,  Dev  Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, Gayatrikunj-Shantikunj, Haridwar.
- (iii) Prof.  Ishwar  Bharadwaj,  Head,  Department  of  Yogic  Sciences,  Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar.
- (iv) Prof. Neel Kamal, University of Patanjali, Haridwar.
- (v) Swami Atmapriyananda, Vice-Chancellor, Ramakrishna Vivekananda University, Kolkata.
- (vi) Pandit Radhey Shyam, Director, Ujjain Yoga Life Society International, Yoga Bhavan, Taran Tall Premises, Kothi Road, Ujjain.
- (vii) Prof. O P Tiwari, Kaivalayadhama, Lonawala.
- (viii) Prof. Subramanayam, Adviser, Vivekananda College, Madurai.
- (ix) Prof. P. Venkat Rangan, Vice-Chancellor, Amrita University, Coimbatore.
- (x) Sri Rupen Bhowmik, Working President, Indian Yoga Federation, Agartala.
- (xi) Joint Secretary, Department of AYUSH.
- (xii) Secretary, UGC (Convener).

(h): A suggestion for exploring possibility of giving suitable preference in admission to graduate courses in physiotherapy to candidates having requisite expertise in Yoga was forwarded  to  the  UGC  for  examination.  No  formal  orders  have  been  issued  for implementing the suggestion.

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