Integrating AI with India's Classical Knowledge Systems: New BTech Programme from 2026-27

From the 2026-27 academic session, the Central Sanskrit University (CSU), New Delhi, will offer a 4-year BTech Programme in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. This is the Sanskrit University's first AICTE-approved engineering degree, making it the first ever approved Sanskrit University in India. This is a huge milestone for higher education in India.Opening in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which focuses on opening up education to multidisciplinary practices, and the fusion of new technologies with age-old practices, this programme will ensure students can acquire advanced engineering education while retaining India's language and cultural education.  Also praised by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, this initiative would ensure India's youth are prepared for the technologies of the future, while remaining connected with India's heritage. He also mentioned it would encourage the development of AI in Indian languages, and speed up the process of digitising and preserving old manuscripts and classical texts.

AICTE-approved programme provides 66 Seats with an Industry Centric Curriculum

As per the university, the BTech programme is sanctioned an intake of 66 seats, with the distribution of 60 seats for the regular category and 6 for the supernumerary category, granted approval by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The framework is designed to provide students with the knowledge to construct the basis of modern computing and language-based applications of AI.

The programme offers:

The university believes that the programme will provide graduates with the skills that are required in the fast-growing AI sector, as well as empower them to contribute to the research and development of language technology.

Concerning Indian Languages, Ancient Manuscripts, and Interdisciplinary Research.

To go beyond traditional engineering education, the program incorporates a means to strengthen India's digital language ecosystem. It will help create AI technologies for Sanskrit and Indian languages, develop AI and machine translation to help preserve historical manuscripts, and help with digitization and intelligent OCR.

The University is going to do interdisciplinary research and connect AI with Indian knowledge Systems. Students will have the means and open the way to research and technological innovation in the fields of Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotisha, Vastu, and Nyaya. According to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the initiative is going to help preserve the intellectual heritage of the country, and help make students ready for the future and the technology-based professions that are going to be in high demand.

Central Sanskrit University is the first Sanskrit University to offer Engineering Education combining AI, Data Science, Language Technologies, and the rich Knowledge Traditions of India.

Conclusion

Introduced at Central Sanskrit University, the BTech in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science is a pioneering advancement in Indian higher education. The university combines AI at advanced levels with Sanskrit and Indian Knowledge Systems to develop graduates who innovate language technologies and implement digital preservation and interdisciplinary research. In addition, the program aims to assist India's objectives in establishing a technology-induced knowledge economy.