NEW DELHI: After replacing German with Sanskrit in Central schools, the HRD Ministry has asked all Central universities to explore the possibility of opening a Sanskrit Department.
“In order to promote Sanskrit, the Central Government has requested all central universities, where department of Sanskrit does not exist, to explore the possibilities of opening of Sanskrit departments,” HRD Minister Smriti Irani told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
She said UGC was also providing plan and non-plan grants to five Sanskrit universities and two Sanskrit deemed-to-be-universities. Irani said this in reply to a question by Shivkumar Udasi of the BJP on whether the government was emphasising upon establishment of centres for teaching and learning of Sanskrit, Chinese, Russian, Urdu and European languages by providing specific financial assistance.
However, the Trinamool Congress questioned the government over its move to replace German with Sanskrit as the third language in Kendriya Vidyalaya schools, saying an unnecessary controversy had been created by it. The issue was raised by TMC MP Saugata Roy in the Lok Sabha. “The entire controversy over teaching German was unnecessary. What is the harm if KV (Kendriya Vidyalayas) students learn German,” Roy asked. He made the remarks while participating in a discussion on School of Planning and Architecture Bill.