A Government of India initiative
Indian Knowledge Systems
In October 2020, India's Ministry of Education created a dedicated division to research, teach, and preserve the country's traditional systems of science, philosophy, and art. Here's what that means, and why it matters.
What the IKS Division Does
Interdisciplinary Research
Supporting research that connects traditional Indian knowledge — in fields like mathematics, medicine, and architecture — with modern disciplines, rather than treating them as separate or purely historical subjects.
Integration into Education
Weaving these knowledge systems into current school and university curricula, so they're studied as living, applicable ideas rather than confined to specialist or heritage courses.
Faculty Training
Training and orienting teachers and researchers so they can engage with Indian Knowledge Systems accurately and confidently in their own teaching.
Nine Focus Areas
The initiative organizes its work — and its public quiz series — around nine broad domains:
Architecture and Engineering
Traditional Indian building science, from temple architecture to town planning and structural techniques.
Linguistics and Sanskrit
The study of Sanskrit and India's other classical languages, and what their grammar and literature reveal about Indian thought.
Mathematics and Astronomy
India's historical contributions to mathematics and astronomy, from early number systems to observational instruments.
Ayurveda
India's traditional system of medicine, built around diet, herbs, and individual constitution.
Explore the words →Yoga and Holistic Well-being
The disciplines of breath, mind, and body developed across Indian tradition, long before yoga became a global fitness practice.
Explore the words →Philosophy (Jivanadarsana)
India's philosophical traditions on how to live — questions of ethics, purpose, and the nature of a good life.
Knowing Bharat
A broader introduction to Indian history, culture, and civilization for general audiences.
Astronomical Instruments (Mahakal)
The design and use of historical Indian instruments for observing and measuring time and the sky.
Indology
The academic study of Indian history, languages, and culture as a field in its own right.
The Bharatiya Gyan Quiz Series
IKS runs its public engagement mainly through the Bharatiya Gyan ("Indian Knowledge") Quiz Series — a set of themed quizzes, one for each focus area, hosted on the MyGov platform. They're designed to make these subjects approachable to a general audience, not just specialists or students.
Why It Matters
Wisdom of India exists for a similar reason, at a smaller scale: to explain individual words and ideas — karma, dharma, ayurveda, yoga — clearly and without dogma. IKS does the same work at an institutional level, across entire fields of study. Two of its nine focus areas, Ayurveda and Yoga, overlap directly with concepts explained on this site — explore them in the glossary below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is IKS (Indian Knowledge Systems)?
IKS is a division of India's Ministry of Education, established in October 2020, dedicated to researching, teaching, and preserving India's traditional systems of science, philosophy, and art.
When was the IKS division established?
The Indian Knowledge Systems division was established in October 2020.
What are the focus areas of Indian Knowledge Systems?
IKS organizes its work around nine areas: Architecture and Engineering, Linguistics and Sanskrit, Mathematics and Astronomy, Ayurveda, Yoga and Holistic Well-being, Philosophy (Jivanadarsana), Knowing Bharat, Astronomical Instruments (Mahakal), and Indology.
What is the Bharatiya Gyan Quiz Series?
It's a series of public quizzes, one for each IKS focus area, run on the MyGov platform to make Indian traditional knowledge more approachable to a general audience.
Which ministry runs the IKS initiative?
The Indian Knowledge Systems division operates under India's Ministry of Education.