The university offers degree and diploma courses exclusively in Sanskrit. Set up at Ramtek in Nagpur last year, it was established by the State Government with the intention of promoting Sanskrit, one of the world's oldest languages.

Dr Pankaj Chande, vice-chancellor of the university and Sanskrit scholar, said youngsters' response to the study of Sanskrit was overwhelming. ``The university was established in 1998 and we offer a diploma termed Agam, wherein we teach Sanskrit as mother tongue. The response from students was very encouraging and a 1,000 of them completed the diploma course. This is a record in Sanskrit education in modern India,'' said Dr Chande.

He adds that the university offers courses at under-graduate, post-graduate and research levels. ``The primary-level language-oriented courses include Agam,Sadhana, Pali and Prakrut. The higher-level courses are Vastushastra, Yogashastra, Paryavaran, Sangitshastra and Indian Culture and Values. The university also offers a three-year degree course, Visharad which aims at teaching Sanskrit in traditional style. Moreover, we offer a special degree course for teachers to help them teach Sanskrit with English as medium of instruction,'' said Dr Chande.

The post-graduate courses offered by the university from the academic year 1999-2000, ``will open the ocean of information stored in Sanskrit since ancient times'', says Dr Chande. The courses are Ved Vidya, Sahityashastra, Philosophy and Culture, Indian Sciences and Technology, Archaeology and Science of Manuscripts, he says, adding these courses will promote research and applications.

He said the university will soon open centres at Akola, Aurangabad, Pune, Mumbai, Kolhapur and Ratnagiri, to popularise Sanskrit statewide. Dr Chande recently met Higher and Technical Education Minister Datta Rane to brief himabout the university's progress. Rane praised the work being done by the university and assured help at all levels, Dr Chande said.