The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has reportedly demanded to make Sanskrit a compulsory subject from Class 1 in Gujarat. According to a report by The Indian Express, the RSS and its affiliates met with the Education Minister Jitu Vaghani, senior officials of the department, and the organisational general secretary of Gujarat BJP, Ratnakar in April to discuss the implementation of the NEP, where they pitched this demand.
According to the report, Sanskrit teaching was the primary thrust of nearly 20 representatives of the affiliate organisations of RSS, which includes Vidya Bharati, Shaikshik Mahasangh, Samskrita Bharati and Bhartiya Shikshan Mandal.
It also said that the RSS representatives asked the state government to allocate at least six periods for Sanskrit every week. The organisations demanded a special preference for Sanskrit stating that schools should “teach best English but not at the cost of Indian languages", the report stated.
While the NEP’s three-language formula does not prescribe any specific language as a compulsory one, the RSS is reportedly pushing for Sanskrit as a primary subject. When asked about this, Himanjay Paliwal, of the RSS affiliate Samskrita Bharati told the publication “…the NEP speaks gol gol (unclear) about Sanskrit. It is not clear whether the NEP is in favor of the language or against it. Is par koi spashtata Nahi hai (there is no clarity on this).”
“English is being taught compulsorily in schools even though the NEP says no language will be forced on students. For teaching Sanskrit from Class 1, consultation is being done at all levels with the state government… the NEP has laid down the formula. Now, how the formula will be explained and interpreted is up to the government,” Paliwal added.
The suggestion of the Sangh is not limited to school education, as it has suggested that Gujarati should be taught as the first language, Sanskrit as the second and the government can decide which one should be offered as a third language option in secondary and higher education. It has also demanded to bar the students from taking admission in Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery if they do not study Sanskrit in grades 11 and 12.
A follow-up meeting between the government and the RSS is expected by the end of July, the publication quoted a source as saying.