Yoga guru Baba Ramdev is likely to head the country's first government-recognised board on Vedic education. The trust Patanjali Yogpeeth's bid to set up the proposed Bharatiya Shiksha Board (BSB) was judged the best by a selection committee on Saturday. The governing council of the Maharshi Sandipani Rashtriya Vedavidya Pratishthan (MSRVP) will consider the five-member panel's recommendation this week. The MSRVP, headed by HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, has been given the responsibility of appointing a private sponsoring body to see that the BSB is set up. The MSRVP has also been working on the promotion of 'Ved vidya'.

Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth was among the three private players that responded to the Expression of Interest (EOI) released by the MSRVP to set up the board. The other two private contenders were Ritnand Balved Education Foundation and Pune-based Maharashtra Institute of Technology. Patanjali Yogpeeth was represented by Acharya Balkrishna during the presentation to the selection committee.

Balkrishna said that Patanjali Yogpeeth is willing to commit Rs 21 crore for the development of the board and has the necessary infrastructure ready for the headquarters. Additionally, Balkrishna informed the panel that they intend to house the headquarters in Haridwar as well as appoint Baba Ramdev as its chairperson, as mentioned in a report in The Indian Express.

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According to the daily, Balkrishna's promise to fund the board with Rs 21 crore, which was the highest among the three applicants, is believed to be the key factor that worked in its favour. Acharya Balkrishna told the daily that education is not only about learning the alphabet and that students should also learn Indian "morals, culture and values".

The BSB will standardise Vedic education, Sanskrit, Shastras and Darsanas and more. To that end it will draft syllabus, conduct exams, issue certificates and recognise gurukulas, pathshalas and schools offering Vedic as well as modern education. The board will also charge an affiliation and examination fee from the schools.

The states that the agency selected to establish the board will receive a formal order by the MSRVP with due approval of the government.

(Edited by Anwesha Madhukalya)

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