CU removes ‘jyotisha’, ‘vastu’ from syllabus after protests

Kolkata: Calcutta University (CU) has removed controversial sections on “jyotisha” and “vastu” from its syllabus on ‘Indian knowledge system and it’s application’ following objections and protests from scientists, educationists, rationalists and student bodies.
CU had issued a notification for Common Value Added Course (CVAC) that featured ‘Indian knowledge system and it’s application’ among six courses.Colleges were asked to inform students of four-year degree programmes that they could opt for any two for CVAC in the second semester.
Following its inclusion, Bharatiya Bigyan-O-Yuktibadi Samiti — a rationalist organisation — wrote to CU registrar Debasis Das, asking to remove the controversial parts from it. On Tuesday, CU Trinamool Chhatra Parishad College Street unit, too, staged a day-long sit-in demonstration against the inclusion of these chapters.
In the wake of criticism, CU had called an emergency meeting on Monday where the decision was taken to remove the controversial sections from the syllabus. An official said, “Jyotisha in ancient Indian history was more inclined towards astronomy than astrology but still, the controversial parts have been removed and a modified syllabus will be sent to the colleges.”
Sources said among 169 colleges only one had opted for it.