Yoga, Now a Part of Physiotherapy Course

Modules of yoga teaching and training will now be a part of bachelor's and master's courses in physiotherapy in Central University according to the order by the University Grants Commission on Thursday.

In a communication to vice-chancellors on Thursday, UGC secretary Jaspal S Sandhu referred to a letter received from the Union HRD ministry seeking inclusion of yoga in Bachelors and Masters of Physiotherapy courses from the forthcoming academic session.

Last week joint secretary in HRD ministry Ishita Roy had written to the UGC secretary in this regard and also informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has desired that the possibility of giving preference to candidates with requisite knowledge of yoga, should be explored.

The Modi government also wants universities to explore the possibility of a giving preference to candidates who have a certain level of expertise in yoga for admission to the bachelor's course in physiotherapy.

Earlier, a government appointed committee on yoga education in universities, headed by HR Nagendra, who is also considered to be the Prime Minister's yoga guru, had recommended yoga syllabus for a 4-year bachelor's course and a 2-year masters course in physiotherapy.

The committee had made several recommendations related to setting up of yoga departments in universities.

Significantly, it had also recommended that expertise of Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth, S-VYASA Yoga University headed by Nagendra and some other institutes could be used for setting up of these departments.