The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to convert three Sanskrit universities into Central universities. The Central Sanskrit University Bill proposed that the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan and Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha (LBSRSV) in Delhi and the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha (RSV) in Tirupati be converted into Central universities.

The government is expected to bring the approved Bill during the ongoing winter session of Parliament. At present, there are Central universities for Hindi, English and Urdu each. If the Central Sanskrit University Bill is passed, the three deemed-to-be universities will become the country’s first Central universities for Sanskrit. 

Following their conversion, the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan will be known as Central Sanskrit University, Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha will become Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha will be National Sanskrit University.

LBSRSV was set up in 1962, the Rashtriya Sanskrit  Sansthan in 1970 and RSV in 1961. Later, all three were granted deemed university status by the UGC.

The proposal has been justified on a few grounds, according to ministry sources. Firstly, the status of Central university will improve the stature of the three institutions. This will further help them attract more foreign students and better faculty. The government expects these Central universities to also start offering programmes in Indian Philosophy and yoga after they are converted into Central universities.

Based on the persistent demand from Sanskrit scholars and academia, the proposal has been initiated by the MHRD, said Union Minister Prakash Javadekar. There are 45 central universities in India currently, out of which, 40 are functioning under the supervision of the education ministry.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday also approved a bill to amend the law which governs the welfare of senior citizens.

Source: The Indian Express