Hidden Agenda behind the Proposed Vedic Education?

The recent announcement about the proposed establishment of the Bharatiya Shiksha Board in order to revitalise and teach Vedic education has had its usual share of supporters and sceptics. This initiative is considered as a step towards getting students to learn about Vedic culture, as well as the canonical texts and practices of Hinduism. Keeping ideological issues aside, we can ask specific questions about the teachers who are going to teach, the expectations from the students, as well as the implications of teaching religious studies in schools and colleges.

First, if the Vedas are to be taught as part of our education system, the teachers presumably would be those who are well versed with—and allowed to study—the Vedas. Since there is a proscription on studying the Vedas, will this create an exclusive class among the twice-born who will teach this course? After all, Vedic pathshalas exist in many places in the country and they have an essential caste aspect to the instruction in that almost exclusively only boys and men from the privileged groups at the top of the social hierarchy are allowed to learn the Vedas. And, these privileged typically are also the ones who strictly follow caste practices and the vocation of “priests.” This is important to emphasise since, unlike the non-priestly Brahmin community, the priestly class has to follow a large number of rituals through the course of the day.