Sanskrit As a Mandatory Third Language
One of the key suggestions made in the position paper is the inclusion of Sanskrit as a mandatory third language.
“In the land of thousands of languages, at least three languages must be taught – the regional language, English and another Bhāratiya language, preferably Saṁskṛta,” the position paper states.
Saṁskṛta is the language in which the overwhelming majority of Indian knowledge is available, and in addition, a basic knowledge of Saṁskṛta will equip the students to pick up any other language, including foreign languages,” it adds.
“Encouraging an attitude of questioning and not merely accepting whatever the textbooks (or print/electronic/social media) say as infallible truth, with a clear foundation of how knowledge generation takes place and how fake news such as Pythagoras theorem, apple falling on Newton’s head etc. are created and propagated,” reads one of the suggestions in the proposal.
‘Trim Sections of Greek Mathematics Depicting Faces of Pythagoras, Heron’
Another suggestion in the proposal discusses removal of the depiction of the faces of Greek mathematicians Pythagoras and Heron while including examples from Indian geometry.
“It is also recommended that some of the examples given in the textbooks on Bhāratiya geometry can be done outside the classroom, probably in the playground. Sections on Greek mathematics need to be trimmed down, especially the depictions of the faces of “Greek mathematicians” such as Pythagoras, Heron etc,” reads the proposal.