The Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, has approved the establishment of five Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for studies in Classical Assamese, Classical Bengali, Classical Marathi, Classical Pali and Classical Prakrit.

The initiative will provide dedicated institutional support for advanced academic research, preservation and digitisation of linguistic and literary heritage, and wider dissemination of knowledge relating to these Classical Languages.

The Centres of Excellence will be established at the following Higher Educational Institutions:

The establishment of these five Centres marks a significant step towards strengthening the institutional ecosystem for the study, research and preservation of India’s Classical Languages.

Key areas of focus

The Centres of Excellence will focus on four broad areas:

Strengthening academic research and scholarship:
The Centres will provide dedicated institutional platforms for advanced research, scholarly work and academic engagement in the respective Classical Languages.

Preservation and digitisation: The Centres will support the documentation, preservation and digitisation of linguistic and literary resources, contributing to the long-term conservation of India’s rich textual heritage.

Wider dissemination of Classical Language heritage: The Centres will facilitate wider access to and dissemination of linguistic, literary and knowledge traditions associated with the respective Classical Languages.

Strengthening regional academic ecosystems:
Located across five States—Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Odisha and Gujarat, the Centres will strengthen regional ecosystems for higher education, research and scholarship in Classical Languages.

The initiative reinforces the Government’s efforts to preserve and promote India’s rich linguistic and literary heritage while strengthening institutions of higher education as centres of research and scholarship.

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AM/AV