Madhya Pradesh to introduce temple management courses in universities

Madhya Pradesh will introduce temple management as an academic discipline in state universities as part of a broader push to strengthen religious tourism and support economic growth, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Feb 22.

The proposed courses will focus on religious tourism along with financial, administrative, and security aspects of temple operations. According to the chief minister, the initiative aims to institutionalize professional management practices in places of worship.

"We are integrating temple management as a subject with university education. We have decided to run academic courses on temple management," Yadav said.

He highlighted that Samrat Vikramaditya University has already begun offering diploma and postgraduate programs in temple management. The curriculum will combine classroom instruction with practical training under the guidance of scholars.

"Temples have always been centers of faith, devotion, and belief for us. We are trying to understand how proper temple management can help energize the economy," he said.

The chief minister added that the state is developing religious corridors at 13 pilgrimage destinations modeled on Ujjain’s Shri Mahakal Lok project, which has emerged as a major spiritual tourism hub.

In a related decision, the government will replace fiber statues at the Shri Mahakal Lok complex with idols made of stone and metal.

"These idols, based on the country's ancient architectural art, are being crafted in Ujjain itself, generating employment for local people," Yadav said.