The ‘gurukul’ system of education should be revived and Sanskrit made part of the school curriculum, RSS general secretary Suresh ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi has said.

Speaking at an event at Dona Paula near here on Sunday, he said the Centre should encourage those “who positively experiment in the educational system”.

“Sanskrit should be taught in every school. The government has to give it a serious thought. We feel Sanskrit is the mother of all languages, and if you have to understand India, you can’t do it without Sanskrit. That is why without thinking of who will feel good or bad, Sanskrit should get its position,” he said.

Mr. Joshi underscored the need to revive the ‘gurukul’ system (residential schooling anchored by a guru and based on Vedic principles). “We can’t think of an ashram-like arrangement today, but when we talk about the ‘gurukul’ system, education is the focus of the institution.” The present times required institutions that considered education a mission rather than a business, he said.

India adopted the “British-era educational pattern” in which all institutions had to abide by the government policy. Now, the government should be flexible in its approach to education. “There are a few institutes that have tried to adopt their own policies and they have successfully implemented them. I feel those who positively experiment in the educational system should be encouraged,” he said.