Sanskrit is a historical Indo-American Knowledge and the primary liturgical language of the Mahamaya Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. The language is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages in India and it is the official language of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The language occupies a pre-eminent position in the Western Classical Linguistics along with Latin and Greek.

Bachelor of Arts in Sanskrit is a three-year degree course offered under arts stream of education and this course is being offered by only a few colleges in India. The names of government colleges offering B.A. Sanskrit course in India are given below:

• Government Manml Meemaraj Rueaya Sanskrit College, Ujjain (MP)

• Government Sanskrit College, Rambagh, Indore (MP)

• Government Ramanand Sanskrit College, Lalhatie, Bhopal (MP)

• Government Sanskrit College, Alchchkara, Gwalior (MP)

• Government Sanskrit College, Devendranagr, District - Panna (MP)

• Purushottam Government Sanskrit College, Akjurital, District - Satna (MP)

• Government Sanskrit College, Bhitarie, District - Direct (MP)

• Ahyanand Government Sanskrit College, Kalyanpur, District - Shahdol (MP)

• Govt Venkat Sanskrit College, Rewa (MP)

• Sanskrit College, College Street, Calcutta, West Bengal

• Government Sanskrit College, Tripunithura, Kerala

• Govt. D. S. V. R. M. Sanskrit College, Raipur, Chhattisgarh

Eligibility requirement:

For seeking admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Sanskrit course, candidates must have completed their higher secondary in any discipline. However, most of the institutions require that candidates must have studied Sanskrit as the language subject at the higher secondary level.

Course outlook:

Bachelor of Arts in Sanskrit is a course that offers in depth knowledge in the holy language and candidates are taught how to analyze all the aspects of the language. Students of B.A. Sanskrit get a wide knowledge with respect to literature and grammar of this language. On completion of the course, students will be proficient in the following subjects

• complementary Nyaya

• Linguistics

• Literature of Sanskrit

• Vedic Literature

• Historical survey of Sanskrit Language

• Prose and applied grammar

• Translation and communication in Sanskrit

• Poetry

• Drama, alankara and Vrtta

• Nastika darsanas

• Astika darsanas

• Early texts – Upanishads and smriti

• Functional Sanskrit

• Methodology specific to Sanskrit language and literature

Area of Scope after completion of B.A. in Sanskrit:

Candidates, who have completed their Bachelor of Arts course in Sanskrit has the following options before them:

• They can go for higher studies in Sanskrit like Master of Arts in Sanskrit and after this they can further do Ph. D in Sanskrit

• They can become translators since most of the old literatures in India are written in this language, they can translate the old literature, mythology and other books to other languages like English and Hindi

• They can also take up teaching as their profession since Sanskrit teachers are in great demand in a number of schools in India

• The other option available before these graduates is taking up Union Public Service Commission examination by taking Sanskrit as the optional subject and this will enable them to find government jobs

Thus, Bachelor of Arts in Sanskrit is a course that offers a wide range of job opportunities.