UP govt decides to introduce "moral teaching"

UP govt decides to introduce "moral teaching"
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

LUCKNOW, FEB 26: The Uttar Pradesh government today decided to introduce "moral teaching" as a compulsory subject at the graduation level from the next academic session in the degree colleges and the state universities to inculcate moral values among students.

Higher Education Minister Om Prakash Singh told reporters a decision to this effect was taken unanimously at the day-long conference of Vice Chancellors here, presided by the state Governor and Chancelor Vishnu Kant Shastri.

Singh said a three-member committee of the Vice Chancellors of Purvanchal, Rohilkhand and Meerut universities had been set up to formulate syllabus for the course.

The decision comes in the wake of Chief Minister Rajnath Singh's disapproval of beauty contests and strong opposition to Valentine's day by Sangh Parivar outfits.

Though the subject has been made compulsory, a student would be required to get just a pass mark which he said would not not be added to the total aggregate.

Singh said the idea behind introducing the subject was to inculcate moral values among the students and make them aware of ancient India philosphy and science which were often been ignored in the modern teaching.

Besides moral teaching, the students would also have to take an employment oriented subject to be decided later, he said.

The conference also decided to ban coaching by the degree college and university teachers and asked the government to take effective punitive action in this regard, the Minister said.