Authors: Madhura S. Khandekar, Seema Singh
Abstract: Sanskrit in the contemporary Indian education has been a topic of national and scholarly significance once again, especially due to the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Sanskrit, the ancient language believed to be one of the classics and sacred languages, has played a major role in the intellectual tradition of India in the fields of philosophy, science, linguistics, mathematics, medicine, and aesthetics. Nevertheless, its role in modern education systems has been disputed on many occasions because of the challenges of accessibility, relevancy, and employability. This paper is an empirical study of the relevance of Sanskrit in contemporary Indian education based on policy frameworks, curriculum reforms, pedagogical practices, and empirical research. The study is based on a qualitative document analysis methodology involving national policy documents, curriculum frameworks, parliamentary reports and peer-reviewed scholarly literature. Results indicate that Sanskrit has a multidimensional impact; maintenance of cultural heritage, enhancement of cognitive and linguistics ability, facilitating interdisciplinary learning and provision of an Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) framework. It is proposed in the study that the role of Sanskrit in contemporary learning has never been the revival of the language as a mandatory classical language but as a strategic intervention in the pedagogy of inclusivity, technology-intensive learning, and interdisciplinary interventions. The paper has been ended by some policy and pedagogical suggestions on how Sanskrit education can be made to meet the liability of equity, up to date skills, and international knowledge systems.
