August 2024
The notion of a nonphysical reality is more readily accepted in India and the Easter than in the West. The connection with ancient wisdom, in this case the Hindu/Vedic tradition, seems to be more entrenched in society.
The Indian Institute of Technology in Mandi (IIT Mandi) in northern India has introduced a mandatory course in consciousness. Yes, you read that right: All first year students have to take “Introduction to Consciousness and Wellbeing”, which teaches phenomena like reincarnation and Out-of-Body Experiences (OBEs).
This holds true for the mainstream media there, too. IIT Mandi’s new consciousness course is thoroughly and neutrally covered by India Today, the country’s No.1 news magazine with around eight million readers.
The article goes through the different parts of the course. For example: Module one covers theories of consciousness – Western as well as traditional Indian – and the notion of a supreme consciousness, and module four covers reincarnation, near-death experiences, and OBEs.
In addition to the curriculum, students are engaged in practices such as guided meditation and yoga.
“The course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of both ancient wisdom and modern scientific approaches to consciousness and well-being”, explains India Today’s chief sub-editor Roshny Chakrabarty.
The consciousness course has been developed at a center within IIT Mandi that focuses on scientific research related to the mind, brain, and consciousness, including the application of ancient Indian traditions such as yoga, meditation and Ayurveda.
India Today cites the institute’s director Laxmidhar Behera:
“We at IIT Mandi are making sure that our students have a flexible curriculum that allows them to change their branch based on their interests after the first year. We are working on creating a structure where researchers from engineering and medical backgrounds will do interdisciplinary research and have the freedom to choose the specialization that they want to pursue.”
Even in India, treading the borderlands between science and spirituality can spark controversy. The magazine points out that the course has ignited a critical debate on social media (but doesn’t mention criticism from more official channels). Some students have also resisted the compulsory nature of recitals of the ancient scripture Bhagavad Gita, which they see as an imposition of religious practices.
IIT Mandi remains steadfast, however. “The institute insists that its exploration of Indian knowledge systems is firmly grounded in scientific research”, reports the India Today.
Anders Bolling
