Four new diploma courses for students in UP Sanskrit schools

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Sanskrit Education has introduced four diploma courses from this session, in order to increase employability of students enrolled in Sanskrit schools.

These diploma courses are: Paurohitya (karmkand), Vyavaharik Vastushastra, Vyavaharik Jyotish and Yog Vigyanam.

“These diploma courses will be run on self-finance basis in recognised schools. The course will be of one year duration divided into two semesters. More emphasis will be given on practical knowledge through internship,” said state secondary education minister Gulab Devi.

Candidates who have cleared Uttar Madhyama (Class 12) or equivalent examination will be eligible for admission in these diploma courses.

Candidates who have passed higher examination can also take admission in these courses.

There will be no age limit for admission.

Arrangement of teachers for running diploma courses in Sanskrit schools will be done by the management committee through its own resources, she said.

Similarly, as a step towards making extensive improvements in the examination system, online application, advance registration, examination under the supervision of CCTV at the examination centres have been introduced, the Minister said.

Talking about various initiatives taken by the Yogi Adityanath government to boost Sanskrit schools, the Minister said alongside traditional subjects, modern subjects and NCERT syllabus, a new curriculum was implemented in all Sanskrit secondary schools from the year 2019 for the modernisation and dissemination of Sanskrit education.

A total of 1,166 Sanskrit medium schools are operational in the state in which more than 1 lakh students are studying.

“Continuous work is being done by the government for the promotion of Sanskrit education, due to which it has got a significant boost,” she said.

“In the past, there were only two government Sanskrit medium schools in the state but our government established 15 new residential Sanskrit medium schools. For the development, expansion and strengthening of the infrastructure of 900 aided Sanskrit medium schools, for the first time an amount of Rs 100 crore has been sanctioned in which 95 per cent of the funds will be arranged by the state government and 5 per cent by the management committee of the concerned school/institution.

“An additional amount of Rs 5 crore was also given for the first time to these aided schools for arranging furniture, etc. To tackle the problem of shortage of teachers in aided Sanskrit schools, a transparent selection process has been made for the first time and 518 honorary teachers have been posted," the Minister added.