It focuses on liberal arts, offering both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Ancient Indian and world history, Bengali, English, Sanskrit, Linguistics, and traditional orientation learning (Advaita Vedanta) except Pali in which only undergraduate degrees are offered.

Sanskrit College was founded on 1 January 1824, during the Governor-Generalship of Lord Amherst, based on a recommendation by James Prinsep and Thomas Babington Macaulay among others.

Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna Bhattacharyya, the scholar of Sanskrit, was the principal of the college for over 18 years.

The institution rose to prominence during the principalship of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in 1851, who admitted students from other than the Brahmin, Kshatriya and Baidya caste.

Sanskrit College and University consist of the departments of Ancient Indian & World History, Bengali, English, Linguistics, Philosophy, Pali, Sanskrit, and Traditional Orientation Learning(Advaita Vedanta, Panini Vyakarana, and Sahitya).