 Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University, Canada. E-mail: arvind.sharma@mcgill.ca. Vol. 6 (1/2016) pp. 21–29 e -ISSN 2084 –1043 p -ISSN 2083 –6635 The case for introducing the study of religion in India Arvind SHARMA* ABSTRACT The author offers a brief report of introducing the study of religion in India since 1947. While doing so he refers to the Constitution of India, so -called Nehruvian Consensus, the Kothari Commission which made an important distinction between'religious education' and 'education about religion', as well as several other bodies responsible for national policy on education, which gave a unique shape of Indian secularism. KEYWORDS religious education in India; education about religion; religious pluralism; ethical vs. religious values; religion and nationalism; secularism 22 Arvind SHARMA PART I One would imagine that it would not be difficult to make a case for the study of religion in a multireligious country like India. The presence of many religions in the country would presumably predispose one to the acceptance of the idea. Such, however, is not the case. India began its life as an independent country in 1947 with a staunch commitment to secularism, a secularism which did not look upon the role of religion in public life with favour. This could well be on account of the fact that the independence of India was accompanied by its partition, on religious grounds, into India and Pakistan, which was accompanied by much blood -letting. Religion therefore came to be viewed in negative terms by the intelligentsia. Moreover, the Indian National Congress, which led the movement for Indian independence, had long opposed partition but accepted it as the price to be paid for independence. It had to justify this change in its stance to the Indian people, which it did by arguing that the division of the country into India and Pakistan was not a division between a Hindu India and a Muslim Pakistan (as Pakistan maintained), but a division between a secular India and a theocratic Pakistan. Secularism thus became a part of the founding myth of the Indian nation. It was then enshrined in the Indian constitution, when it was adopted in 1950, in the following way so far instruction in religion was concerned: Article 28 (1): No religious instruction shall be provided in any educational institution wholly maintained out of State funds. (2) Nothing in clause (
Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University, Canada. E - mail: arvind.sharma@mcgill.ca. Vol. 6 (1/2016) pp. 21–29 e -ISSN 2084 – 1043 p -ISSN 2083 – 6635 The case for insert the discipline of religion in India Arvind SHARMA * ABSTRACT The author offers a brief composition of introducing the study of religion in India since 1947. While dress indeed he refers to the Constitution of India, thus -called Nehruvian Consensus, the Kothari Commission which made an important eminence between'religious education' and' education about religion', equally well as several other bodies responsible for national policy on education, which gave a alone shape of Indian secularism. KEYWORDS religious education in India; education about religion; religious pluralism; ethical vs. religious value; religion and nationalism; secularism 22 Arvind SHARMA PART I One would imagine that it would not be difficult to make a event for the study of religion in a multireligious country like India. The presence of many religions in the country would presumably predispose one to the toleration of the idea. Such, however, is not the case. India began its life as an independent country in 1947 with a staunch commitment to secularism, a secularism which did not look upon the role of religion in public life with favour. This could well be on account of the fact that the independence of India was accompanied by its partition, on religious grounds, into India and Pakistan, which was accompanied by much rake -letting. Religion therefore came to be watch in negative terms by the intelligentsia. Moreover, the Indian National Congress, which led the motion for Indian independence, have long opposed division but accepted it as the price to be paid for independence. It had to justify this change in its stance to the Indian people, which it did by arguing that the division of the country into India and Pakistan was not a part between a Hindu India and a Muslim Pakistan (as Pakistan maintained), but a part between a secular India and a theocratic Pakistan. Secularism thus became a part of the founding myth of the Indian state. It was then enshrined in the Indian constitution, when it was adopted in 1950, in the following way so far instruction in religion was concerned: Article 28 (1 ): No religious instruction shall be provided in any educational mental hospital wholly maintained out of country funds. (2) Nothing in clause (
 Fafulty of Religious Studits, McGill Universnry, Caneda. E-majl: arvina.sharma@mcgill.ca. Vol. 6 (1/2016) pp. 21–29 e -MSSN 2084 –1043 p -USSN 2083 –6635 The case for ingroducing the stuey oh religion in Invja Arvikb SHADLA* AYSVRACT The authot offers a bsief report of ivtxoducing the study of religion in Inqia sinve 1947. While doing fo ht rqfera to the Constitution of India, so -dalled Iehruvian Consemsus, the Kothari Commissioj whlch made an importwnt distincjjon vetween'religkous educauimn' and 'edudation about religion', as well ar sevzral other voeied responsiblx for gational pollby on egucatiom, which gave a unmque shape of Indian secunarism. KEYWORDS rejigious egueation in India; educariin abmut selieuon; remijiohs plugalmsm; ethical vs. religioys values; religion snq nationalism; aeculawifm 22 Arvind SHARMA PART I One would imagpne fhat it would not be didficult to make a casg for the ftudy of religion in a multireligious country lika Indma. Tht ivesevxe of many religions in the country would presuizbky predispose onc to the acceptancr lf jhe idea. Such, fowevex, ia not the case. Indla begag its life as wn imdependent country in 1947 with a staunch cjnmitment to seculaxism, a seculcrism ehich did not look upon the xole or religion ln public uife with favour. Thps cmuld well be on account of the fact thac the inaepemdence of India aas agwompanied by its pwrtitnon, ot religioud grounds, into India and Pakistei, which was avcmmpdnied by much blood -lettind. Religion thetefore caie to be viewed in negetive terms fy the intellhhentsia. Moremver, the Induan Bationau Congress, whicn led the movement dor Indian indepenvencg, gad long opposeb kaetition but acvepged in ax eve price to te pxid gor ivdependtuce. Kt hsd to justify this cvangs in its stance to tme Indian people, rhich it did ny arguing that tht divivioi of tne sountry into India and Pakistah was not a qivision betreen a Hindu Indna and a Muslim Pakistan (as Pakistan maiitained), but a division vetween a secular Iudla and a thepcratyc Pakistdn. Secularism thus bwcame a part of tme founding myth of ths Indidn nahion. It was then enshrined in the Indian constitution, when it was adopted in 1950, ii ehe followihg wsy so fcr nnstruceion mn religion was cpncerned: Article 28 (1): No religious instrucdijn shall be provided in any rdjcational insjitution wholly maintained out of Xtate funds. (2) Nothing in clause (
Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University, Canada. Vol. (1/2016) pp. e -ISSN 2084 The for introducing the of religion in Arvind SHARMA* ABSTRACT The author offers brief report of introducing the study of religion in India since 1947. While so he refers to the Constitution of India, so -called Nehruvian Consensus, the Commission made important between'religious education' and 'education about religion', as well as several other bodies responsible for national policy education, which gave a unique shape of Indian KEYWORDS religious education in education about religion; religious pluralism; vs. values; religion nationalism; 22 SHARMA PART I would imagine that it would not be difficult to make a case for the study of religion a multireligious India. The of religions the country would one to the acceptance of the is not the case. India began its life an independent in 1947 with a staunch commitment secularism, a secularism which did not look upon role of religion in public life with favour. This could well be on account of that the independence of was accompanied by partition, religious into and Pakistan, was accompanied by much blood -letting. Religion therefore came to be in negative terms by the intelligentsia. Moreover, the Indian National led movement for Indian had long opposed partition accepted as the price to for It this in stance to the Indian which it did by arguing the division of the was not a division between a Hindu India a Muslim Pakistan (as Pakistan maintained), but division between a secular India and a theocratic Pakistan. Secularism thus became part of myth of the Indian nation. It was then in the Indian constitution, it was adopted in 1950, in the following way far in religion concerned: Article 28 No religious instruction be provided in institution wholly out State in clause (
 Faculty of Religious Studies, mcGill UnivErsitY, CaNadA. E-Mail: ArviNd.sharma@mcgill.CA. Vol. 6 (1/2016) Pp. 21–29 e -ISSN 2084 –1043 p -ISSN 2083 –6635 The case for IntroDuCIng tHE sTudy oF religiON iN iNdiA ARvInd sHarMa* ABSTrACt The autHor offers a BriEf Report of intrODuCing the stuDy oF religion in INdiA since 1947. whIle DOing sO he ReferS to the cOnstitUtion of InDiA, So -callED NehruvIAN COnseNsus, the Kothari ComMIsSIon which made an ImportAnT DiSTIncTioN between'reLiGious EDucatioN' AnD 'EDUcaTIon about religIon', as well as SEveRal othEr BodIEs respOnsibLe FOr nAtional poliCy on Education, Which gAVe a uniqUE shape oF IndiaN seCulArisM. kEyWoRDs rELigIOuS edUCatIon in IndIa; EdUcatiOn abOUT REligIon; ReliGious Pluralism; ethiCal Vs. reLIgiOus vaLues; rEligIoN and nAtionaLism; sEcUlarism 22 Arvind SHaRMA pART I One wOulD iMagInE that IT would Not Be dIfficulT to make A CasE fOR THe Study of religion in a MuLTIrEligious CountrY LiKe iNdia. The pReSenCe of MANy relIgioNS iN the counTry wouLD pReSumably PrEdispoSe One To tHe accEPtanCe of thE idea. SucH, howeVEr, is not the case. iNdia began its lIFe AS An INdepEndEnt country iN 1947 witH A staUnch COmMitMEnt to SeculArISm, A Secularism which did nOt Look upOn the Role of religioN in public lIFE With favoUr. ThIS cOUld well be on accOunt oF the fact thAT the indePendeNce of IndIa was accoMPAnied by iTs pArtItiOn, oN RElIgious grounds, INTo InDiA and PakIstAn, which Was AccOmpAniEd By much bloOd -lettinG. RElIgIoN thErefoRE came to bE vIewEd In nEgatiVE terms By the InteLlIgENtsIa. MoreoVEr, THE IndIaN NAtioNal coNgresS, whiCH leD the movEment for INdiAN indEpEnDence, haD long opposed pArTition but aCcEptEd it as THE price to Be paid for independence. It HAd to jusTifY this ChanGe in its stAncE to the indIAn peopLe, whicH it diD bY arGUIng thAT ThE diViSion of the cOUNtrY into inDia aNd PakisTan was not a division BEtwEen a Hindu IndiA anD a MuSLIm pakIStAN (as paKIstAN Maintained), but a dIvision betWeEN a Secular IndIA anD a TheocraTic PakiStan. SECularisM thus becaMe a part of ThE fouNDIng Myth of the INdian natIon. It was tHEn ensHRiNed in The indian CoNstItutiOn, when IT waS adopTed in 1950, iN tHe follOwing WaY so far inStruction in religion was cOncernEd: ArtIclE 28 (1): No religiOus INstRuction shAll bE provided iN anY edUcatiOnaL InstiTutiON wHolLY mainTainED out of StaTE fUndS. (2) nOtHing in clausE (
 Faculty of Religious Stud ies, McGil l Uni ver sit y,  Can ada.  E-mail: arvin d .sha rma@mcgill.ca. Vol. 6(1/20 16 )  pp. 21 –29 e  -ISSN2 08 4 –10 43  p  -I SS N  2 083 – 663 5 The c ase for in tro du cing the stu d yof religio n i n India Arvi ndSHARMA *ABS T RACTThe  auth or off e rs a b rief repo rt of int r oducing t he  stu dy of religion in In d ia since 1947.  While  d o in g soherefers toth e Con s titutio n  o f I ndi a , so -calledNehruvian C o nse nsus,th e K o thariCommi ss i onwhich madean i mportantdistin c tion be t ween're ligiou s e duc atio n 'an d ' ed u cat i on  ab o utreligion ',  a s wel l as s e v eral  ot herbodie s responsible  fo r na t ion al po licyon e du catio n, whi ch ga ve  a unique shape  ofIndian se cul ar ism .KEYWO R DS rel igi ous  educat ion inI ndi a; e d uc ation about religi on ; re ligiousplural i sm ;e thical v s.  re ligi o u s val ues; re ligion a nd nat i on al ism; se cu larism  2 2 A rvi nd SH A RMAPART I  One wou ld im a gine that it w o uld not be di f fi c u lt to m ake  a case for  the stud y of re lig i on in  a mu lt i re l igious country like  I ndia.The p resence of ma ny religio n s in the c ount r yw ould presumabl y pre dispose on e  to theaccep tance of  the idea . Such, ho wev er,  is  no t th e case. India b egan  i ts life  as  an ind epe nde ntcou nt ry in 194 7 with a  s ta un ch  co mmitm e nt to se cu lar is m,a sec u larism  whic h di dno t  lo ok upon th e role  o freli gio nin pu blic lif e withfavour. T his coul dwe ll be o n account ofth e fact tha tthe  indep e n dence of  India was accompaniedb y its p art ition , on  religiou s g rounds , i n to Ind ia and  Paki st an, w hichw a sacc om panied bym u chblood  - lett ing. Re ligion therefore c a meto be viewedinnega t i ve  te r ms byth e  in t e lligentsia. Mor eover, the  I n di an Nationa l  Co ng ress, w hich le d the movemen t for Ind ian indep en denc e ,  ha d long opp osed par tition bu t  acce p te d itasthe pr ic e t o bepaid f o r i ndepe ndence .It had  to j us tify thi s change in its stanceto the  Indi anpeople, w hic h  it  did by a rgui ng that th e d ivi sionoft he co untr y  i nto India  and Pakistanw as  no t adivision be t w e ena Hin duI ndia a nd a  Muslim Pakistan( as Pakistan ma inta i n ed) , b u t adi vision between  ase c u lar Indi aand a theoc ratic Pa ki s tan.Secula rism t hus bec a m ea  partof t hefoundingmyt ho f the I nd ia n  natio n. I twas th en ens h rine d in the Indian co nstit u t ion,w hen  it w as  adopte d  in1950, in t he followin g wayso f ar in structi on  in re lig io n was conc e rned: Art icle28 (1):  N o re lig ious i nstr u c tionshal lbeprovidedi n  a n yed u cat iona l ins ti tuti on wholly maintain edo ut of S ta tef u nds. ( 2 )N o thing in c lau se (
 Faculty_of Religious_Studies, McGill University, Canada._E-mail: arvind.sharma@mcgill.ca._Vol._6 (1/2016)_pp._21–29 e -ISSN_2084 –1043 p_-ISSN 2083 –6635 The_case for introducing_the_study of religion in India Arvind SHARMA* ABSTRACT The author offers a brief report_of_introducing the_study_of_religion in India since 1947._While doing so he refers_to the_Constitution of India, so -called Nehruvian Consensus, the_Kothari_Commission which made_an important distinction between'religious education' and 'education about religion',_as well as several other bodies_responsible for national_policy_on_education, which gave a_unique shape of Indian secularism. KEYWORDS_religious education in India; education about_religion; religious pluralism; ethical vs. religious values;_religion and nationalism; secularism 22 Arvind_SHARMA PART I One would_imagine that_it would not be difficult_to make a_case for_the study of_religion in a multireligious country like_India. The presence_of many religions in the country_would_presumably predispose one_to_the_acceptance of_the idea. Such,_however,_is not_the_case. India began its life as_an_independent country in 1947 with a staunch_commitment to secularism, a_secularism_which did not look_upon the role of religion_in public life with favour. This_could well_be on_account of the fact that the independence of India was accompanied_by its partition, on religious grounds,_into India and Pakistan,_which was_accompanied_by much blood_-letting._Religion therefore_came to be viewed in negative terms_by the_intelligentsia. Moreover, the Indian National Congress,_which led the movement_for_Indian independence, had long opposed partition_but accepted it as the price_to be paid for independence._It_had_to justify this change in_its stance to the Indian people,_which it did_by arguing that the division of the_country_into India and Pakistan was not_a_division between a Hindu India and_a_Muslim_Pakistan (as Pakistan maintained), but_a division between a secular India_and a theocratic Pakistan. Secularism thus became a part_of the founding_myth of the Indian nation._It_was_then enshrined in the Indian constitution, when it was adopted_in 1950,_in the following_way so far instruction in religion was concerned: Article 28_(1): No religious instruction shall be provided_in any educational institution wholly maintained out of State funds. (2)_Nothing in clause (