Ambedkar University Delhi Adopts ‘Bharatiya Knowledge System’ to Reclaim Indigenous Identity, Says Vice Chancellor Anu Singh Lather

In a move that underscores its commitment to cultural rootedness and academic self-determination, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) has decided to replace the term “Indian Knowledge System” with “Bharatiya Knowledge System (BKS)”, asserting that the term ‘India’ carries colonial baggage.

This conscious shift in language, according to Vice Chancellor Professor Anu Singh Lather, is more than a semantic choice—it reflects a philosophical and historical realignment grounded in indigenous heritage.

“India is a Foreign Word”: A Cultural Repositioning

Speaking in an interview with PTI, Prof. Lather explained,

“The word India itself is a foreign construct. It does not belong to our civilizational vocabulary. By choosing to use ‘Bharatiya’ instead, we’re reclaiming ownership of our intellectual traditions and identities.”

The decision is part of a larger institutional strategy to embed indigenous perspectives within the framework of higher education and to assert India’s intellectual heritage on its terms rather than through inherited colonial narratives.

54 Mandatory BKS Courses Rolled Out Across Disciplines

AUD has recently approved 54 compulsory courses under the Bharatiya Knowledge System, which will be integrated across multiple undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

These courses span a wide range of departments, including history, heritage management, law, political philosophy, and literature.

Importantly, these are not elective or value-added modules, but mandatory subjects that aim to infuse indigenous knowledge systems into the core curriculum.

Prof. Lather noted that this initiative is not a superficial addition, but a deeply researched and academically rigorous effort.

“We spent almost two years curating and refining these courses. Every reference cited in the material is rooted in primary sources—be it the Upanishads, Mahabharata, Arthashastra, or ancient treatises on science and governance—right down to the exact chapter, verse, and line,” she said.

Themes Include Political Philosophy, Bhakti as Gyaan, Yoga, Law, and Aesthetics

The BKS curriculum spans a broad intellectual spectrum. Course themes include:

• Foundational Bharatiya political thought

• Yoga and the Self: A Metaphysical Inquiry

• Bhakti as a form of knowledge (Gyaan)

• Indian aesthetics and classical art traditions

• Traditional legal systems and jurisprudence

• Ancient Indian science and technological innovations

Each course has been developed in consultation with national-level subject matter experts, and the syllabi underwent thorough academic review and scrutiny before being approved by the university’s Academic Council.

Academic Leadership under the National Education Policy (NEP)

Prof. Lather positioned this initiative as a pioneering academic intervention under the National Education Policy (NEP), aimed at restoring Indian knowledge traditions to their rightful place within contemporary academia.

“We’re not trying to compete with other universities. Our path is guided by the ideals of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who believed in education as a tool of empowerment rooted in dignity and self-knowledge. We are working to redefine what constitutes essential knowledge for our students in a post-colonial society,” she added.

Reclaiming Intellectual Sovereignty

By placing the Bharatiya Knowledge System at the centre of its pedagogy, AUD aims to offer students a richer and more contextually relevant education, while also decolonising knowledge production and academic narratives.

This bold academic pivot seeks to bring indigenous wisdom systems into conversation with modern scholarship, thereby challenging long-standing Eurocentric biases in Indian higher education.

Prof. Lather concluded that this initiative marks a transformative moment not just for the university but for Indian academia at large, offering a template for how institutions can rethink and re-centre their academic frameworks in alignment with civilizational continuity and cultural integrity.