CENTRAL SANSKRIT UNIVERSITIES ACT, 2020
[25th March, 2020]
PREAMBLE
An Act to establish and incorporate Universities for teaching and research in Sanskrit, to develop all-inclusive Sanskrit promotional activities and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Be it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-first Year of the Republic of India as follows:--
(1) This Act may be called the Central Sanskrit Universities Act, 2020.
(2) It shall come into force on such *date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
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*. W.e.f. 30.04.2020, vide Notification No. SO1263(E), dated 17.04.2020.
In this Act, and in all Statutes made hereunder, unless the context otherwise requires,--
(a) "Academic Council" means the Academic Council of the University;
(b) "academic staff" means such categories of staff as are designated as academic staff by the Statutes and Ordinances made there under;
(c) "Board of Studies" means the Board of Studies of a Department of the University;
(d) "Campus" means any unit established or constituted by the University at any place within or outside India for making arrangements for instruction, research, education and training in Sanskrit and includes an existing Campus established by the University prior to the commencement of this Act;
(e) "Chancellor" and "Vice-Chancellor" mean, respectively, the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor of the University;
(f) "College" means a College recognised or affi
(1) The following deemed to be Universities shall be established as three separate Central Universities as under:--
(a) the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, along with its campuses as specified in the First Schedule, shall be established as a body corporate under this Act by the name of "the Central Sanskrit University", which shall have its headquarters in New Delhi;
(b) Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi shall be established as a body corporate under this Act by the name of "Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University", which shall have its headquarters in New Delhi;
(c) the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati shall be established as a body corporate under this Act by the name of "the National Sanskrit University", which shall have its headquarters in Tirupati.
(2) The Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor and the members of th
On and from the date of commencement of this Act,--
(a) the societies, namely, the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi and the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati shall stand dissolved;
(b) any reference to a society or to a deemed to be University in any law (other than this Act) or in any contract or other instrument shall be deemed as a reference to the corresponding University established and incorporated under this Act;
(c) all properties, movable and immovable, of or belonging to a society or to a deemed to be University shall vest in the corresponding University established and incorporated under this Act;
(d) all rights and liabilities of a society or of a deemed to be University shall be transferred to, and be the rights and liabilities of, the corresponding University established and incorpor
The objects of the University shall be to disseminate and advance knowledge by providing instructional, research and extension facilities to the promotion of Sanskrit Language and such other branches of learning as it may deem fit; to make special provisions for integrated courses in humanities, social sciences and science in its educational programmes; to take appropriate measures for promoting innovations in teaching-learning process and inter-disciplinary studies and research; to educate and train manpower for the overall development, promotion, preservation and research in the field of Sanskrit and Sanskrit traditional subjects.
(1) The University shall have the following powers, namely:--
(i) to provide for instructions in such branches of learning including Sanskrit and Sanskrit traditional subjects, as may be specified in the Statute or as may be determined by the University, from time to time, and to make provisions for research and advancement and dissemination of knowledge;
(ii) to grant, subject to such condition as the University may determine, diplomas or certificates to, and confer degrees or other academic distinctions on, persons on the basis of examination, evaluation or any other method of testing, and to withdraw any such diplomas, 1[certificates], degrees or other academic distinctions for good and sufficient cause;
(iii) to organise and undertake extramural studies, training, extension services and such other measures for the promotion of Sanskrit education;
(iv) to confer honorary
The University shall be open to all persons of either sex and whatever caste, creed, race or class, and it shall not be lawful for the University to adopt or impose on any person, any test whatsoever of religious belief or profession in order to entitle him to be appointed as a teacher of the University or to hold any other office therein or be admitted as a student in the University or to graduate thereat or to enjoy or exercise any privilege thereof:
Provided that nothing in this section shall be deemed to prevent the University from making special provisions for the employment or admission of women, persons with disabilities or of persons belonging to the weaker sections of the society and, in particular, of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the other socially and educationally backward classes of citizens, economically weaker section of the unreserved class and other special categories as stipulated by the Central Governme
(1) The President of India shall be the Visitor of the University.
(2) The Visitor may, from time to time, appoint one or more persons to review the work and progress of the University, Colleges, Schools and Institutions maintained by it, and to submit a report thereon; and upon receipt of that report, the Visitor may, after obtaining the views of the Executive Council thereon through the Vice-Chancellor, take such action and issue such directions, as he considers necessary, in respect of any of the matters dealt with in the report and the University shall abide by such action and be bound to comply with such directions.
(3) The Visitor shall have the right to cause an inspection to be made by such person or persons as he may direct, of the University, its buildings, libraries, laboratories and equipment, and of any Centre, Department, School, College or Institution maintained by the University and also of the examina
The following shall be the officers of the University, namely:--
(1) the Chancellor;
(2) the Vice-Chancellor;
(3) the Deans of School of Studies;
(4) the Registrar;
(5) the Finance Officer;
(6) the Controller of Examinations;
(7) the Librarian; and
(8) such other officers as may be declared by the Statutes to be the officers of the University.
(1) The Chancellor shall be appointed by the Visitor in such manner as may be prescribed by the Statutes.
(2) The Chancellor shall, by virtue of his office, be the Head of the University and shall, if present, preside at the Convocations of the University held for conferring degrees and meetings of the Court.
(3) The Chancellor shall act as an appellate authority in the cases where the Executive Council is the disciplinary authority.
(1) The Vice-Chancellor shall be appointed by the Visitor in such manner as may be prescribed by the Statutes.
(2) The Vice-Chancellor shall be the principal executive and academic officer of the University and shall exercise general supervision and control over the affairs of the University and give effect to the decision of all the authorities of the University.
(3) The Vice-Chancellor may, if he is of the opinion that immediate action is necessary on any matter, exercise any power conferred on any authority of the University by or under this Act and shall report to such authority at its next meeting the action taken by him on such matter:
Provided that if the authority concerned is of the opinion that such action ought not to have been taken, it may refer the matter to the Visitor whose decision thereon shall be final:
Provided further that any person in the service of th
Every Dean of School of Studies shall be appointed in such manner and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Statutes.
(1) The Registrar shall be appointed in such manner, and on such terms and conditions of service, as may be prescribed by the Statutes.
(2) The Registrar shall have the power to enter into agreements, sign documents and authenticate records on behalf of the University, and shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties, as may be prescribed by the Statutes.
Every Director of the Campus shall be appointed in such manner and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Statutes.
The Finance Officer shall be appointed in such manner and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Statutes.
The Controller of Examinations shall be appointed in such manner and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Statutes.
The Librarian shall be appointed in such manner and on such terms and conditions of service and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Statutes.
The manner of appointment and powers and duties of other officers of the University shall be as prescribed by the Statutes.
The following shall be the authorities of the University, namely:--
(i) the Court;
(ii) the Executive Council;
(iii) the Academic Council;
(iv) the Board of Studies;
(v) the Finance Committee;
(vi) the Planning and Monitoring Board; and
(vii) such other authorities as may be declared by the Statutes to be authorities of the University.
(1) The Constitution of the Court and the term of office of its members shall be as prescribed by the Statutes:
Provided that such number of members, as may be prescribed by the Statutes, shall be elected from among the teachers, employees and students of the University.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Court shall have the following powers and functions, namely:--
(a) to review, from time to time, the broad policies and programmes of the University, and to suggest measures for the improvement and development of the University;
(b) to consider and pass resolutions on the annual report and the annual accounts of the University and the audit report on such accounts;
(c) to advise the Visitor in respect of any matter which may be referred to it for advice; and
(d) to perform such other functions as may be prescribed by t
(1) The Executive Council shall be the principal executive body of the University.
(2) The constitution of the Executive Council, the term of office of its members and its powers and functions shall be as prescribed by the Statutes.
(1) The Academic Council shall be the principal academic body of the University and shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, the Statutes and the Ordinances, co-ordinate and exercise general supervision over the academic policies of the University.
(2) The constitution of the Academic Council, the term of office of its members and its powers and functions shall be as prescribed by the Statutes.
The constitution, powers and functions of the Board of Studies shall be as prescribed by the Statutes.
The constitutions, powers and functions of the Finance Committee shall be as prescribed by the Statutes.
The constitution, powers and functions of the Planning and Monitoring Board shall be as prescribed by the Statutes.
The constitution, powers and functions of other authorities, as may be declared by the Statutes to be the authorities of the University, shall be as prescribed by the Statutes.
Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Statutes may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:--
(a) the constitution, powers and functions of the authorities and other bodies of the University, as may be constituted from time to time;
(b) the appointment and continuance in office of the members of the said authorities and bodies, the filling of vacancies of members and all other matters relating to those authorities and other bodies for which it may be necessary or desirable to provide;
(c) the appointment, powers and duties of the officers of the University and their emoluments;
(d) the appointment of teachers, academic staff and other employees of the University, their emoluments and conditions of service;
(e) the appointment of teachers and academic staff working in any other University or organisation or institution for a specific
(1) The First Statutes are those set out in the Second Schedule.
(2) The Executive Council may, from time to time, make new or additional Statutes or may amend or repeal the Statutes referred to in sub-section (1):
Provided that the Executive Council shall not make, amend or repeal any Statutes affecting the status, power or constitution of any authority of the University until such authority has been given an opportunity of expressing an opinion in writing on the proposed changes, and any opinion so expressed shall be considered by the Executive Council.
(3) Every new Statute or addition to the Statutes or any amendment or repeal of a Statute shall require the assent of the Visitor who may assent thereto or withhold assent or remit to the Executive Council for reconsideration.
(4) A new Statute or a Statute amending or repealing existing Statutes shall have no validity unle
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act and the Statutes, the Ordinances may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:--
(a) the admission of students to the University and their enrolment as such;
(b) the courses of study to be laid down for all degrees, diplomas and certificates of the University;
(c) the medium of instruction and examination;
(d) the award of degrees (including Honorary degrees), diplomas, certificates and other academic distinctions, the qualifications for the same and the means to be taken relating to the granting and obtaining of the same;
(e) the fees to be charged for courses of study in the University and for admission to the examinations, degrees, diplomas and certificates of the University;
(f) the conditions for the award of 1[fellowships], scholarships, studentships, medals and prizes;
The authorities of the University may make Regulations, consistent with this Act, the Statutes and the Ordinances, for the conduct of their own business and that of the Committees, if any, appointed by them and not provided for by this Act, the Statutes or the Ordinances, in the manner prescribed by the Statutes.
(1) The annual report of the University shall be prepared under the direction of the Executive Council, which shall include, among other matters, the steps taken by the University towards the fulfillment of its objects and shall be submitted to the Court on or before such date as may be prescribed by the Statutes and the Court shall consider the report in its annual meeting.
(2) The Court shall submit the annual report, along with its comments, if any, to the Visitor.
(3) A copy of the annual report, as prepared under sub-section (1), shall also be submitted to the Central Government, which shall, as soon as may be, cause the same to be laid before both the Houses of Parliament.
(1) The annual accounts and balance-sheet of the University shall be prepared under the direction of the Executive Council and shall, once at least every year and at intervals of not more than fifteen months, be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India or by such persons as he may authorise in this behalf.
(2) A copy of the annual accounts, together with the audit report thereon, shall be submitted to the Court and the Visitor along with the observations of the Executive Council.
(3) Any observations made by the Visitor on the annual accounts shall be brought to the notice of the Court and the observations of the Court, if any, shall, after being considered by the Executive Council, be submitted to the Visitor.
(4) A copy of the annual accounts, together with the audit report as submitted to the Visitor, shall also be submitted to the Central Government, which shall, as soon as may
The University shall furnish to the Central Government such returns or other information with respect to its property or activities as the Central Government may, from time to time, require, within such period as may be specified by the Central Government.
(1) Every employee of the University shall be appointed under a written contract, which shall be lodged with the University and a copy of which shall be furnished to the employee concerned.
(2) Any dispute arising out of the contract between the University and any employee shall, at the request of the employee, be referred to a Tribunal of Arbitration consisting of one member appointed by the Executive Council, one member nominated by the employee concerned and an umpire appointed by the Visitor.
(3) The decision of the Tribunal shall be final and no suit shall lie in any civil court in respect of the matters decided by the Tribunal:
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall preclude the employee from availing of the judicial remedies available under Articles 32 and 226 of the Constitution.
(4) Every request made by the employee under sub-section (2) shall be deemed to
(1) Any student or candidate for an examination whose name has been removed from the rolls of the University by the orders or resolution of the Vice-Chancellor, Discipline Committee or Examination Committee, as the case may be, and who has been debarred from appearing at the examinations of the University for more than one year, may, within ten days of the date of receipt of such orders or copy of such resolution by him, appeal to the Executive Council and the Executive Council may confirm, modify or reverse the decision of the Vice-Chancellor or the Committee, as the case may be.
(2) Any dispute arising out of any disciplinary action taken by the University against a student shall, at the request of such student, be referred to a Tribunal of Arbitration and the provisions of sub-sections (2), (3), (4) and (5) of section 34 shall, as far as may be, apply to a reference made under this sub-section.
Every employee or student of the University or of a College or Institution maintained by the University shall, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, have a right to appeal within such time as may be prescribed by the Statutes, to the Executive Council against the decision of any officer or authority of the University, or, the Principal or the management of any College or an Institution, as the case may be, and thereupon the Executive Council may confirm, modify or reverse the decision appealed against.
(1) The University shall constitute for the benefits of its employees such provident or pension fund or provide such insurance schemes and other welfare and social security measures, as it may deem fit, in such manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the Statutes.
(2) Where such provident fund or pension fund has been so constituted, the Central Government may declare that the provision of the Provident Funds Act, 1925 (19 of 1925), shall apply to such fund as if it were a Government provident fund.
If any question arises as to whether any person has been duly elected or nominated or appointed, or is entitled to be, a member of any authority or other body of the University, the matter shall be referred to the Visitor whose decision thereupon shall be final.
All casual vacancies among the members (other than ex officio members) of any authority or other body of the University shall be filled, as soon as may be, by the person or body who elects, nominates, appoints or co-opts the member whose place has become vacant and the person appointed, elected, nominated or co-opted to a casual vacancy shall be a member of such authority or body for the residue of the term for which the person whose place he fills would have been a member.
No act or proceeding of any authority or other body of the University shall be invalid merely by reason of the existence of a vacancy or vacancies among its members.
No suit or other legal proceedings shall lie against any officer or any other employee of the University for anything which is in good faith, done or intended to be done, in pursuance of any of the provisions of this Act, the Statutes or the Ordinances.
Notwithstanding anything contained in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872) or in any other law for the time being in force, a copy of any receipt, application, notice, order, proceeding or resolution of any authority or other body of the University, or any other document in possession of the University or any entry in any register duly maintained by the University if certified by the Registrar, shall be received as prima facie evidence of such receipt, application, notice, order, proceeding, resolution or document or the existence of entry in the register and shall be admitted as evidence of the matters and transactions therein where the original thereof would, if produced, have been admissible in evidence.
(1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the Central Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty:
Provided that no such order shall be made under this section after the expiry of three years from the commencement of this Act.
(2) Every order made under sub-section (1) shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the order or both Houses agree that the order should not be made, the order shall the
(1) Every Statute, Ordinances or Regulation made under this Act shall be published in the Official Gazette.
(2) Every Statute, Ordinances or Regulation made under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the Statute, Ordinances or Regulation or both Houses agree that the Statute, Ordinances or Regulation should not be made, the Statute, Ordinances or Regulation shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form, or be of no effect, as the case may be; so however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that Statute, O
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act and the Statutes,--
(a) the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and other officers of each of the deemed to be Universities holding office immediately before the commencement of this Act, shall, on and from such commencement, continue to hold their respective offices by the same tenure and upon the same terms and conditions as they held it immediately before such commencement for the remaining period of their term;
(b) the members of the Executive Council, the Academic Council, the Finance Committee, the Planning and Monitoring Board and Faculties of each of the deemed to be Universities appointed as such prior to the commencement of this Act shall, on and from such commencement, be deemed to have been appointed in the same capacity under this Act for the remaining period of their term and shall continue to exercise all the powers and perform all the functions of such authori
The University may constitute such Councils, Boards, Standing Committees and Cells, in furtherance of its functions, as it may deem necessary.
Where any authority of the University is given power by this Act or the Statutes to appoint Committees, such Committees shall, save as otherwise provided, consist of the members of the authority concerned and of such other person, if any, as the authority in each case may think fit.
S. No. Name of the State Name of the Campus
1. Jammu and Kashmir Shri Ranbir Campus
2. Uttar Pradesh (a) Lucknow Campus
(b) Ganganath Jha Campus
3. Karnataka Shri Rajiv Gandhi Campus
4. Rajasthan Jaipur Campus
5. Odisha Shri Sadashive Campus
6. Kerala Guruvayoor Campus
7. Madhya Pradesh Bhopal Campus
8. Maharashtra K.J. Somaiya Campus
9. Himachal Pradesh Veda Vyas Campus
10. Tripura Eklavya Campus
11. Uttarakhand Shri Raghunath Kirti Campus.
The Statutes of the University
1. Chancellor.--
(1) The Minister in-Charge of the Ministry of Human Resource Development shall be the ex officio Chancellor of the Central Sanskrit University, Delhi.
(2) The Chancellors of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, New Delhi and the National Sanskrit University, Tirupati shall be appointed by the Visitor from a panel of not less than three persons recommended by the Executive Council from amongst persons of eminence in the academic or in public life of the country:
Provided that, if the Visitor does not approve of any of the persons so recommended, he may, call for fresh recommendations of different names, from the Executive Council.
(3) The Chancellors of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, New Delhi and of the National Sanskrit University, Tirupati shall hold office for a
Schedule II of the Central Sanskrit Universities Act, 2020, primarily deals with the First Statutes of the University, laying down the foundational rules for its governance, administration, and academic functioning. It provides the framework for the constitution of authorities, bodies, and procedures essential for the operation of the University.
Schedule II enumerates the First Statutes which the University must adopt upon its establishment. These statutes include provisions related to the constitution of the Academic Council, Executive Council, Finance Committee, and other statutory bodies, as well as rules governing their powers, functions, and procedures. It essentially sets out the blueprint for the internal governance of the University.
Note: The analysis is based on the information available from the provided sources and general principles of statutory governance in Indian universities.
1. The up gradation of three Deemed to be Universities in Sanskrit, namely, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Delhi, Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Triputi into Central Universities through the Central Sanskrit Universities Bill, 2019 would enhance the status of these Universities and will give a boost to Post Graduate, Doctoral and Post Doctoral education and Research in the field of Sanskrit and Shastraic education. It would help in getting better faculty, attract foreign students, Sanskrit scholars, foreign faculty of international repute and help in international collaborations with global Universities across the world. This will also help in enhancing the opportunities for imparting education in the field of Indian Philosophy, Yoga, Ayurveda and Naturopathy.
2. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives.
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