GYAN BHARATAM MISSION ON MANUSCRIPTS
GYAN BHARATAM MISSION ON MANUSCRIPTS
Background & Purpose
Announced: Union Budget 2025
Central Sector Scheme for the period 2024–31 with a total outlay of Rs. 482.85 crore.
Digitize and catalog over 1 crore manuscripts across the country.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Culture, Government of India
Objective: To identify, document, conserve, digitize, preserve, and promote India’s manuscript heritage.
Builds upon the foundation of the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) (est. 2003)
Key Features
Flagship Initiative:
Aims to safeguard India’s vast manuscript heritage through a coordinated national framework.
Establish Manuscript Resource Centres (MRCs) to catalogue ancient manuscripts in public & private collections.
National Digital Repository (NDR):
A dedicated digital platform to share and showcase India’s manuscripts globally.
Will serve as the central database for digitized manuscripts.
MoUs with Institutions:
About 20 institutes (e.g., Asiatic Society Kolkata, University of Kashmir, Government Oriental Manuscript Library Chennai, etc.) to sign MoUs initially.
Around 30 more to follow in subsequent phases.
Institutes are categorized as:
Cluster Centres: Manage their own and up to 20 partner centres.
Independent Centres: Manage their own collections only.
Scope of Work:
Each centre will focus on one or more of the following verticals:Survey & Cataloguing
Conservation & Capacity Building
Technology & Digitisation
Linguistics & Translation
Research, Publication & Outreach
Gyan Bharatam Cell:
Every partner institute must establish a dedicated cell to handle manuscript-related activities and coordinate with the Ministry.
Financial Mechanism:
Funds released in phased instalments:
70% initially (based on approved plan).
30% after submission of:
Progress reports
Financial & Utilisation Certificates (UCs)
Overall Goal:
To build a national ecosystem for manuscript conservation, ensure digital preservation, and encourage research, translation, and public access.
To preserve manuscipts, the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) was established in 2003 as a repository. and it has been central to safeguarding India’s intellectual traditions. The Mission has:
Documented over 44.07 lakh manuscripts through its ambitious digital repository, Kriti Sampada. |
Developed Manus Granthavali, a software based on global metadata standards, to ensure accurate and uniform documentation. |
Prelims Practice MCQ
Q. With reference to institutional arrangements under the Gyan Bharatam Mission, consider the following statements:
“Cluster Centres” under the Mission are responsible only for their own manuscript collections.
“Independent Centres” may oversee up to 20 partner institutions in their region.
The Mission provides both funding and equipment to participating institutions.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 3 only ✅
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
Explanation:
The roles are reversed — Cluster Centres manage their own manuscripts and up to 20 partner centres, whereas Independent Centres handle only their own collections. The Mission indeed provides funding, equipment, and support → statement 3 correct.
Q. With reference to funding mechanism under the Gyan Bharatam Mission, consider the following statements:
The Mission releases 70% of the funds initially upon project approval.
The remaining 30% is released only after submission of utilisation certificates and verified progress reports.
Funds are provided exclusively as loans to the participating institutions.
Which of the statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only ✅
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
Explanation:
Funding is in two instalments (70% + 30%) and released as grants, not loans.
Q. Consider the following about the National Digital Repository (NDR):
It is a central online platform for digitised manuscripts.
It will allow international access to India’s heritage manuscripts.
It will be maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Which of the above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only ✅
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
Explanation:
The NDR is a digital repository managed under Gyan Bharatam Mission (Ministry of Culture) — not by ASI.
It aims to make India’s manuscripts globally accessible.