Delhi Schools to Introduce RSS, Freedom Fighters Under New 'Rashtraneeti' Programme

Students in Delhi government schools will soon study the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and lesser-known freedom fighters under a new educational initiative called 'Rashtraneeti', aimed at fostering civic awareness and national pride. Education Minister Ashish Sood announced Tuesday that the programme, spanning Classes 1 to 12, will incorporate lessons on the RSS's history, ideology, and contributions to underscore fundamental duties and ethical governance.

Designed to counter misconceptions about the organisation and promote active citizenship, 'Rashtraneeti' forms part of the broader 'Namo Vidya Utsav' curricula launched by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on September 18 at Bharat Mandapam. The initiative reflects the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government's push to integrate value-based education amid ongoing debates on curriculum reforms in India's public schooling system.

The RSS chapter traces the organisation's origins to 1925, when Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar founded it in Nagpur, Maharashtra, as a volunteer-based movement to instil cultural awareness, discipline, service, and social responsibility. Lessons will detail its alleged role in India's freedom struggle—despite historical critiques from some historians for its initial non-participation under British rule—and post-independence social efforts, including disaster relief during the 2013 Kedarnath floods, the 2008 Bihar deluge, and COVID-19 pandemic aid like blood drives and food distribution.

The curriculum also spotlights prominent RSS affiliates, such as former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who served as a pracharak before entering politics. Sources indicate the content seeks to portray the RSS as a "people-nurtured movement for national reconstruction", emphasising patriotism and character-building without delving into controversies like its 1948 ban following Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.

A dedicated segment honours "unsung heroes" of independence, including Veer Savarkar—known for his Hindutva ideology and mercy petitions during imprisonment—Subhas Chandra Bose, the founder of the Indian National Army, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who opposed Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the "Iron Man" who unified princely states, rounds out the list.

These figures, often sidelined in mainstream narratives favouring Congress-led icons like Gandhi and Nehru, align with the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) historical emphasis, though the AAP administration frames it as holistic civic education. Teacher handbooks are ready, with State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) sessions underway; class-specific allocations remain under discussion.

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The 'Rashtraneeti' rollout, one of three new programmes under 'Namo Vidya Utsav', provides practical exposure to democracy and governance through interactive modules. Proponents argue it equips over 10 lakh Delhi students with tools for social consciousness, but critics, including opposition parties, question potential ideological bias in public education. As implementation advances, the programme could influence national discourse on school curricula, especially with Delhi's 1,200-plus government schools serving diverse urban populations.

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