Gyan Bharatam Mission Signs MoUs with Institutes

GYAN BHARATAM MISSION TO SIGN MOUS WITH INSTITUTES

Why in the News?

• New MoUs: The Gyan Bharatam Mission under the Culture Ministry will sign MoUs with 20 institutes for manuscript conservation and digitisation.
• Future expansion: An additional 30 institutes, including Asiatic Society Kolkata and University of Kashmir, will join in the coming days.
• Mission purpose: Aims to identify, document, preserve, and promote India’s manuscript heritage through a National Digital Repository (NDR).

OBJECTIVES AND IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK

• Centre classification: Institutes are categorised as cluster centres (manage multiple centres) or independent centres (manage own collections).
• Activities supported: Includes survey & cataloguing, conservation, digitisation, research, linguistics, publication, and outreach programs.
• Dedicated cells: Institutes must establish Gyan Bharatam Cells for smooth coordination and collaboration.
• Funding mechanism: Funds released in instalments – 70% upfront, 30% after progress verification and utilisation reporting.
• Oversight: GB Mission provides guidance, monitoring, equipment, and budget allocations for approved work plans and milestones.

EXPECTED IMPACT AND OUTCOMES

• Heritage preservation: Safeguards India’s manuscript heritage from deterioration and loss.
• Digital accessibility: Ensures manuscripts are available globally via NDR.
• Research promotion: Facilitates scholarly study and translation of manuscripts.
• Skill development: Trains staff in conservation, cataloguing, and digitisation.
• Collaboration: Encourages inter-institutional partnerships to strengthen manuscript preservation efforts.