School Education department, J&K rebuts news regarding inclusion of Sanskrit in curriculum

SRINAGAR, JULY 19: School Education Department, Jammu & Kashmir has strongly rebutted the news report published in an English local daily newspaper on 18 July, 2025 with the headline ‘Mandatory subject: Union Education Ministry mulls to introduce Sanskrit in Kashmir schools from class 6th to 10th.’
In an official communiqué issued here, the department has taken serious note of a misleading news item circulating in certain sections of the media, which claims that Sanskrit is being introduced as a mandatory subject for classes 6th to 10th and an optional subject for classes 3rd to 5th in Kashmir division.
“The School Education department of J&K has not received any communication/direction from the Ministry of Education, Government of India, regarding mandatory/optional introduction of Sanskrit in the curriculum of School Education,” the department stated in the rebuttal.
Clarifying on the matter, the department said that the Secretariat of Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor had received a representation from Shri Purshotam Lal Dube (NGO) for inclusion of Sanskrit in the schools / colleges of JKUT under the provisions of NEP 2020.
The said communication was forwarded to Higher/ School Education department by Secretariat of Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor.
Accordingly, School Education department J&K forwarded the communication of GAD to Director School Education Jammu /Kashmir for furnishing of comments in the matter. Subsequently, he communication was forwarded to the sub-offices for comments.
Further, the School Education department has stated that the department has not proposed, approved, or initiated any process for the inclusion of Sanskrit as a mandatory or optional subject in schools across Jammu & Kashmir.
In the rebuttal the department said that it follows a transparent and consultative process for curriculum changes, in line with NEP 2020.
Any future decision regarding the inclusion of new subjects will be officially communicated through proper channels after due deliberation.
Meanwhile, the public and media have been advised to verify facts from official sources before publishing such unfounded and baseless claims.