West Bengal Upgrades 330 ‘Sanskrit Tols’ under Sanskrit University

Nearly 330 Sanskrit learning tols (or Sanskrit schools) have been officially registered under Sanskrit College and University in West Bengal. To date, these Sanskrit tols have been operating under the aegis of the Bangiya Sanskrit Shiksha Parishad under the School Education Department of West Bengal. The Bangiya Sanskrit Shiksha Parishad was formed in 1949 under the School Education Department with the purpose of spreading and promoting Sanskrit learning. The Parishad used to confer three types of degrees to the students. One was Adya, which was equivalent to Madhyamik, Madhya, which was equivalent to Higher Secondary and Upadhi, which was equivalent to graduation. However, all these examinations were discontinued in 2007. Subsequently, the state government upgraded Sanskrit College to a University status in 2015. It was then decided to bring the Parishad under this University, and this transfer was finally completed today. There are three government-told, two government-aided tols in the state, while all other tols receive state grants. All will now come under the ambit of Sanskrit University. The told will now receive a dose of modernization including revision of syllabus, increasing the number of learners and regularising the examinations.