New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS): All central universities have been requested to explore the possibility of opening a Sanskrit department in an attempt to promote the language, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani said Wednesday.

"In order to promote Sanskrit language, the central government has requested all central universities, where the department of Sanskrit does not exist, to explore the possibilities of opening Sanskrit departments," Irani said in the Lok Sabha.

The University Grants Commission provides plan and non-plan grants to five Sanskrit state universities and two Sanskrit deemed to be universities, she said.

Recently, the minister had announced that the Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) have decided to discontinue teaching German as an alternative to Sanskrit as a third language, a decision she said was taken in the "national interest".

The move had triggered a controversy and the Supreme Court Nov 28 asked the central government not to treat Sanskrit as a third language for KV students from class 6 to 8 and instead treat it as an additional language, retaining German as a third language in the current academic session.