I n his recent address on the radio and television programme, Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to a boy, Usman, and suggested him to study Vedic mathematics to succeed in competitive exams. He told him that knowledge of Vedic mathematics can help solve mathematical calculations as fast as a computer can. Later, PM Modi, while talking about the new National Education Policy (NEP), emphasised on developing a mathematical thinking and scientific temperament among children.
Reiterating the concepts of great mathematicians, the PM said that mathematical thinking power means not just solving the problems of mathematics, but a way of thinking. After the incarnation of the new NEP, discussions have been taking place in the whole country about how it can be implemented. An important aspect with regard to its execution in the context of school education relates to the National Curriculum Framework and what should be incorporated in the school curriculum, which might reflect the fundamental points of the NEP as well as assist children develop critical thinking, as the PM suggested. In this context, it would be worth considering the possibility of including Vedic mathematics.
Before answering such essential concerns, it would be relevant to know what Vedic mathematics is. As the name itself indicates, Vedic mathematics is related to the Vedas, i.e., the mathematics or mathematical principles alluded to in the Vedas. A perception has been created that the Vedas contain only eulogies to nature or the gods, which was a sinister design of Western Orientalists. Their purpose was to suppress and decimate the rich ancient Indian knowledge and science, so as to establish their psycho-intellectual superiority over Indians and maintain its permanent influence.
Thomas Babington Macaulay’s education policy (usually referred to as Macaulayism) was more a conspiracy than schooling with a purpose. Yet, not many would be aware of the dangerous intentions of well-known Orientalists such as Max Müller. In a letter dated 16 December 1868, he wrote to the English Duke of Argyll, then Secretary of the State for India in British Government, “India has been conquered once, but India must be conquered again, and this second conquest shall be a conquest of education.” Entrapped in their vicious cycle, gradually our countrymen and women were deprived of what was theirs, and slowly, became oblivious to our rich and glorious ancient knowledge. As of today, there are very few Indians who have knowledge about Vedic hymns which contain many mathematical principles.
The grand edifice of mathematics in the world today stands on the foundation of zero, the numerical system of 1 to 9 called the decimal number system, the place value system (unit, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, etc), decimal and fractional numbers, etc. India had all these during the Vedic period itself. They are mentioned in various verses of the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda.
But what we call Vedic mathematics today is not limited to the Vedas alone. Swami Bharati Krishna Tirtha, the modern pioneer of Vedic mathematics, incorporates mathematical principles from Shulva-Sutras, Buddhist texts, Jain texts to Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Brahmagupta and modernday Ramanujan and Shakuntala Devi in it. Hence, it is also called Indian mathematics or Hindu mathematics or even ancient mathematics, it being the oldest. The antiquity of India’s mathematical progress should also be gauged from the fact that the world famous Greek Pythagoras theorem of the sixth century BCE had already been delineated by Baudhayan, in his Shulva-Sutras, several hundred years ago before Pythagoras.
Similarly, it is said that in the 19th century, for the first time, German mathematician Karl Friedrich Gauss called mathematics as the ‘Queen of the Sciences’. However, one must know that Acharya Lagadh Muni, in his book Vedang Jyotish (1350 BC), more than 3,000 years before Carl Friedrich Gauss, stated the importance of mathematics saying, “Just as on the top of the peacock is the crest and on the head of the serpent is the Cobra Pearl, in the same way, among all the Vedang Shastras (sciences), mathematics is at the top.”
Some sceptics may ask, even if we assume that Indian or Vedic mathematics is the most ancient, what is its practical value in current times? Such people must know that Vedic mathematics is relevant in the context of a new and changing India. In schools, generally, mathematics is considered to be complex, cumbersome and unexciting. However, very complicated calculations are possible, through Vedic mathematics, in a very simple way — its ease making it child’s play. For instance, while doing multiplication, kids are taught merely one method, multiplying from the right side. In Vedic mathematics, in addition to the right side, one can also multiply from the left. Not only that, crosswise and other methods of multiplication are also accessible by which complex calculations are possible in a very short period of time. One should note that various coaching institutes are teaching Vedic mathematics, indirectly, today and charging huge amounts in the name of Smart Maths, Short Cut Techniques, and Quick Methods. This is also available as a paid service on the Tata Sky TV channel or online platforms. Unfortunately, Vedic mathematics is not even mentioned in our school books, let alone teaching it in mathematics courses.
It is an era of competition today, both at national and international levels. In the entrance examinations for various higher education institutions, including IITs or IIMs, mathematical ability is measured. Two things are very important here for success: Speed, i.e., solving maximum questions in the minimum possible time, and accuracy. Vedic mathematics is unmatched in addressing them both. Besides, whether your answer is correct or not can also be verified by Vedic mathematics in a very simple and quick manner. Similarly, in various competitive examinations for jobs, Vedic mathematics can be of great benefit for solving the mathematical component. At the international level, for the school evaluation ‘Program for International Student Assessment’ (PISA) that measures mathematical ability apart from other components, India, by taking the recourse of Vedic mathematics, can show its prowess.
The question though arises as to how Vedic mathematics can be incorporated into the present school curriculum or at a higher level. Where will we get the teachers for this? In this context, “Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas” (SSUN), an organisation working in the field of education and culture, has been doing tremendous work for the past several years. Not only has this organisation trained more than 10,000 teachers in Vedic mathematics but also prepared the syllabus for mathematics for the CBSE for classes I to XII, incorporating Vedic mathematics as optional. In fact, as a result of the efforts of SSUN, Vedic mathematics has been included, in some amount, in the mathematics curriculum of eight states of the country. Presently, in more than 5,000 schools of the Vidya Bharati organisation, an independent question paper of Vedic mathematics is provided for grade I to X. Currently, a new National Curriculum Framework for NCERT books, prescribed for the CBSE, is being deliberated in the context of the NEP. It would be the right time for considering how to incorporate Vedic mathematics while determining the course of mathematics, taking into account the expertise of SSUN. For the higher education level, SSUN has prepared a syllabus for a six-month certificate and a one-year diploma program. An MoU with more than 10 universities/colleges has already been done to run these programmes.
In the NEP, research has been emphasised a lot. Vedic mathematics can prove to be very useful in this case too. While calculations could be very fast and accurate in mathematical research, it will prove to be helpful, indirectly, for other natural sciences as well as social sciences. Experts of Vedic mathematics say that its practice greatly enhances reasoning, analysis and synthesis ability, which are crucial for research. However, there are challenges in studying/ teaching Vedic mathematics. Especially in the era of online learning, different apps or materials will have to be prepared. Another challenge would be to prepare course materials/books for the undergraduate level. One of the goals of the NEP is to restore and re-establish ‘Indian-ness’. Vedic mathematics can prove to be an important instrument in this ‘rediscovery of India (Bharat)’.
Niranjan Kumar is a Professor in the Department of Hindi, University of Delhi and has taught in various US universities. The views expressed are personal.