SAR - Merant PLC

Schroders PLC
31 July 2003

                                                                      FORM SAR 3

Lodge with a RIS or Newstrack and the Takeover Panel. A copy must also be sent
to the company the shares of which are acquired.

Date of disclosure:     31/07/03

   DISCLOSURE UNDER RULE 3 OF THE RULES GOVERNING SUBSTANTIAL ACQUISITIONS OF
                                SHARES ('SARs')

Date of acquisition     30/07/03

Acquisition in          Merant PLC
                                                Number of shares over shares       If rights over shares acquired, as
    1)     Class of voting shares  acquired                                        opposed to the shares themselves,
           (e.g. ordinary shares)                                                  specify nature of rights

           2p ordinary shares                           243,400 shares






                                      Resultant total holding of rights              Total percentage
    2)     Resultant total holding of over shares (and % of total
    voting shares (and % of total     voting shares in issue)
    voting shares in issue)

    21,762,891 shares (21.120%)
                                                                                      (21.120%)


 (3)     Party making disclosure     Schroders plc
                                                      Schroders plc on behalf of institutional clients on
        4)     (a)     Name of person acquiring       a non-beneficial basis
        shares or rights over shares and, if
        different, beneficial owner


             (b)     Names of any other persons
        acting by agreement or understanding (see SAR
        5)


Signed, for and on behalf of the party named in (3) above

(Also print name of signatory)     Alison Dunn (Regulatory Reporting Officer)

Telephone and extension number     020 7658 2959 (Direct line)

                          ___________________________

Note.     Under SAR 5, the holdings of and acquisitions by persons acting by
agreement or understanding must be aggregated and treated as a holding of or
acquisition by one person. Note 3 on SAR 5 requires persons who must aggregate
holdings to disclose certain disposals.

For full details of the SARs disclosure requirements, see Rules 3 and 5 of the
SARs. If in doubt, contact the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers, Tel. No.: 020
7638 0129


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