The Department of Sanskrit, originally named as Sanskritic Studies and Sanskrit & Bengali, was established in 1921. Mahamahopadhyaya Haraprasad Shastri was the first Head of the Department. In 1931 the name of the Department became Sanskrit and Bengali. In 1937 it became the Department of Sanskrit and in 1950 it became Bengali and Sanskrit. In 1970 Sanskrit became separated form Bengali and the Department was renamed as the Department of Sanskrit and Pali. In 2007 the Department of Sanskrit got completely separate identity. This Department offers a 3000 mark four-year BA (Honours) course and a 850 mark one-year MA course in Sanskrit.

The Department also offers M. Phil and Ph.D programmes. An annual journal entitled Prachyavidya Patrika is published by the Department. A six monthly Sanskrit creative journal Mandakranta by name is also run by the Department. A research centre, named after Dr. Dilip Kumar Bhattacharya, a former Professor of Sanskrit, has extended research facilities in the Department . There is a Computer and Language Lab and a Seminar Library of the Department enriched with large number of valuable books and journals. There is a Debating club and a Cultural club for extra curriculum activities of the Department.