Shivaji’s legacy in national curriculum

MUMBAI: More than three centuries after his reign, Chhatrapati Shivaji will storm a new bastion, leaving his mark in classrooms across the country. The history of the 17th century Maratha warrior king and his enduring legacy will be formally included in the national education curriculum, following a meeting between Maharashtra school education minister Dadaji Bhuse and Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in New Delhi.

During the meeting, the Maharashtra government proposed that the legacy of Shivaji, founder of ‘Hindavi Swarajya’, be integrated into the national curriculum so that students all across India could learn about his contributions. The proposal was accepted by Pradhan, who directed officials to include Shivaji’s history in NCERT textbooks.

“It is a matter of great pride for all of us that students across India will get the opportunity to learn about the inspiring history of Chhatrapati Shivaji through their academic curriculum,” Bhuse told the media after the meeting.

Bhuse also advocated for the promotion of the Marathi language in at national education level. With the language recently being granted classical language status by the central government, he underscored the need for its inclusion in educational initiatives across India.

According to a media statement issued by the state government, Pradhan responded positively, assuring that appropriate action would be taken to support the integration of the language.

The meeting also saw a presentation on educational initiatives in Maharashtra. One of the key proposals was the introduction of the ‘CM Shri’ scheme, modelled on the ‘PM Shri’ scheme. Under this scheme, the state aims to transform 5,000 schools into model institutions. Plans were also shared to develop classrooms with over 100 students into model classrooms, implementing smart classrooms, and launching ‘Anand Gurukul’ and region-wise specialised schools.

The state put forward demands to increase the honorarium for cooks and staff under the PM Poshan Scheme, expand the quota of student beneficiaries under scholarship programmes, include government-aided schools in centrally sponsored schemes, and improve transportation facilities for students in rural and tribal areas.