Ministry of Minority Affairs approved the establishment of Centre for Jain Manuscriptology at Gujarat University. This will create a dedicated, state-of-the-art facility for the digitisation and conservation of invaluable Jain manuscripts. This initiative under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) aims to promote and preserve the rich literary heritage of Jainism.

Ministry of Minority Affairs organized a national workshop on the significance of Jain Manuscriptology on 19th July, 2025 at Gujarat University, Ahmedabad. The workshop was conducted under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK), with the aim of promoting and preserving the rich literary heritage of Jainism.The workshop was attended by the scholars, researchers, cultural experts and community leaders who highlighted the significance of Jain manuscripts.

Following were the outcomes of the workshop:

• Dialogue on preservation techniques and research potential of Jain manuscripts
• Importance of incorporating ancient wisdom into modern academic and cultural narratives
• Community engagement for collaborative conservation efforts

Under PMJVK, the Ministry approved the project to the University of Gujarat for the establishment of a Centre for Jain Manuscriptology at Gujarat University to create a dedicated, state-of-the-art infrastructure for Digitization and conservation of Jain manuscripts.The Ministry collaborated with these Universities to set up Centres of Excellence for minority literary heritage.

The following five projects have been approved under PMJVK and their details are as under: 

 

Sl.No	Name of the Project	University	Related Minority Community	Objective of project
	Centre of Excellence in Minority Heritage Languages and Cultural Studies	University of Mumbai	Parsi & Buddhist	To promote research in Avesta-Pahlavi, Pali and Prakrit, and preserve heritage languages and traditions.
	Centre for Advanced Studies in Buddhist Studies	University of Delhi	Buddhist	To promote advanced academic research, fostering Bharat-centric perspectives, preserving cultural heritage, and encouraging interdisciplinary and institutional collaboration.
	Centre for Gurumukhi Script	Khalsa College, University of Delhi	Sikh	To preserve, promote, and teach Gurumukhi script using digital tools, community support, and interactive platforms.
	Centre for Jain Manuscriptology	Gujarat University	Jain	To digitize and conserve Jain manuscripts with proper metadata and cataloguing, while establishing training and research facilities in manuscriptology.
	Centre for Jain Studies	Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV), Indore	Jain	To promote Jain heritage and culture through academic programs, research and global collaboration.

 

This information was given by the Union Minister of Minority Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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AKS

(Release ID: 2155437)