Sanskrit is a foundational language and the root of many modern tongues, preserving ancient texts in science, medicine (Ayurveda), philosophy, and literature, including epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Beyond a language, it offers access to some of the world’s deepest wisdom, and with growing interest in Yoga, spirituality, and Ayurveda, its study remains essential.
In the UK, Sanskrit has long been taught, but Cambridge has now announced it will discontinue the International GCSE Sanskrit exam, with the last sitting in June 2027. This qualification provides a structured pathway for students in the UK and abroad, including Nepal, to embark on Sanskrit studies and gain recognised achievement. Losing it threatens the future of structured Sanskrit education. A petition to “Save Sanskrit IGCSE” has already gathered 7,670 signatures, and numerous community organisations and Sanskrit scholars are actively campaigning to preserve it.
Speaking to Asian Voice, Dr Antonia Ruppel, who has taught Sanskrit in the UK, US, and Germany for around 20 years, said, “The term ‘dead language’ is misleading. It refers not to a language’s vitality but to the fact that it is studied mainly through texts rather than spoken daily. In this sense only, Sanskrit can be called ‘dead’. Britain has a strong tradition of Sanskrit scholarship, but its study is declining, especially in higher education where economic priorities dominate. Cambridge dropped undergraduate Sanskrit nearly 25 years ago; Edinburgh downgraded its professorship; at SOAS, teaching is handled by an instructor with another primary role. Oxford still has a strong programme, though under financial pressure. At secondary level, Sanskrit at St James Schools has also suffered, with the A Level removed five years ago and now the IGCSE being cut.”
Highlighting the role of UK schools, universities, and policymakers in reviving interest in Sanskrit, Ruppel said, “When subjects are offered within schools or universities, students are more likely to explore them, especially when the subject is as intrinsically rich as Sanskrit. Though central to Hindu scripture, Sanskrit also carries a vast literary and cultural heritage, comparable to ancient Greek drama. Emphasising this universal value helps people engage with it, appreciate it, and defend it against purely short-term interests. Cutting Sanskrit from curricula is therefore a loss not only for British Asians but for Britain’s cultural life as a whole.”
Sanskrit teacher Elle Jessup said, “Interested institutions must work together actively to support Sanskrit. They must explain to the young that Sanskrit study harmonises well with scientific or artistic subjects and will help them to become wise and useful citizens.”
Concerns over discontinuation of exam
On cultural, historical, and intellectual significance of Sanskrit that makes it worth preserving in the UK and globally, Scholar of Indo-Iranian languages, texts and cultures, Anahita Hoose said, “As the language of the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata (including the Bhagavad Gita), and other key Hindu texts, Sanskrit holds immense significance for followers of Hinduism, the world’s third-largest religion and the UK’s third-largest faith. Sanskrit also appears in texts from other traditions, such as Jainism. The global popularity of yoga has drawn people from diverse backgrounds to study Sanskrit, including texts like Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Its value is not only spiritual or religious: Sanskrit encompasses masterpieces of literature by writers like Kalidasa, complex philosophical works, and Panini’s Ashtadhyayi, a foundational linguistic text. Sanskrit is part of India’s heritage and also of the world’s, comparable to Mesopotamian or Greek achievements. Though challenging, learning Sanskrit is rewarding, offering the joy of reading classical texts while sharpening logic and language skills that benefit students across many areas of life.”
On concerns over Cambridge’s decision to discontinue the IGCSE Sanskrit examination from 2027, Hoose said, “These concerns resonate with me. It’s sad to see opportunities for young (and older) people in the UK to earn a qualification in this remarkable language disappearing. Sanskrit is still taught at several universities, including Oxford, where I studied it as a graduate. The IGCSE offered early exposure that many students carried through life, even if they pursued unrelated fields like medicine or law, connecting them to India’s rich cultural history. Cambridge still offers a Sanskrit O Level, but only in November, which may not suit all students.”
Jessup said, “The IGCSE affirms the importance of Sanskrit for all ethnic groups and society. Its removal undermines educational rigour and threatens Sanskrit teaching in schools. Although Cambridge initially offered the Mauritius O Level as an alternative, they have now ruled this out, leaving most of the world without a Sanskrit exam for 16-year-olds.”
*Asian Voice is awaiting a comment from Rod Smith, Group Managing Director of Cambridge International.
