HC peeved at Sanskrit’s neglect,pulls up edu dept

The writ petition,filed by Dinanath Mishra and Yugal Shastri,alleged that examinations for the Sanskrit course at secondary and graduation level have not been held in the last five years.

The petitioners’ counsel,Advocate Shibendra Nath Chattopadhyay,said the Sanskrit Toll department earlier used to come under the higher education department but,in a move which he termed illegal,the state government transferred the control to the school education department.

Justice Somadder questioned the move,asking how a primary education department could conduct a course equivalent to Masters’ degree. He held it cannot be done and gave the secretary of the school education department,Arnab Roy,three weeks’ time to file a report.

Around 600 Sanskrit Toll,run by the state government,conduct classes for over 11,000 students,who study the language in three stages —Adhya,Madhya and Upadhi (equivalent to secondary,graduation and Masters’ degree).

While examination at the Masters’ level is being conducted every year,they have not been held for those at secondary and graduation level in the last five years.

The hearing added the financial assistance provided by the state government to run these Sanskrit Tolls have not been properly utilised.