“The panel has stressed on teaching epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata in the social sciences syllabus to students,” the Deccan Herald quoted the committee’s chairperson CI Isaac as saying. “We think that students in their teenage years build their self-esteem, patriotism and pride for their nation.”

Isaac said that it is important for students to “understand their roots” and develop affection for their culture and the country. “Some boards already teach Ramayana and Mahabharata, but it should be done in a more elaborate way,” he said.

The recommendation is for the epics to be taught to students in class 7 to class 12, the Hindustan Times reported.

The committee has also recommended that the preamble of the Constitution be written on the walls of classrooms.

“Our preamble [of the Constitution] gives importance to social values including democracy and secularism,” Isaac said. “It is noble. Therefore, we have recommended writing it on the walls of the classrooms so that everyone can understand and learn from it.”

In October, the panel had recommended replacing “India” with “Bharat” in school textbooks.

Suggestions to replace “ancient history” with “classical history” in the curriculum and to include the “Indian Knowledge System” in the syllabus for all subjects had also been made.

However, the National Council of Educational Research and Training said it is “too premature” to comment on any changes – particularly replacing “India” with “Bharat” in the textbooks – that may be made.

The seven-member panel on social sciences is among 25 such expert committees set up by the National Council of Educational Research and Training to provide recommendations on various subjects and themes. The Council is currently aligning school textbooks with the National Education Policy.

All recommendations will be deliberated on by a 19-member National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee constituted in August to finalise the curriculum, textbooks and learning material.