New Delhi: The Indian government will set up five Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for studies in Classical Assamese, Classical Bengali, Classical Marathi, Classical Pali and Classical Prakrit at various Higher Educational Institutions.
The CoE in Classical Pali will be established at the Central University of Odisha, in Koraput.
The other CoEs, as approved by Department of Higher Education, Union Ministry of Education, will be set up at Tezpur University in Assam (Classical Assamese), Visva-Bharati University in West Bengal (Classical Bengali), Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute (Deemed to be University) in Pune (Classical Marathi) and Central University of Gujarat (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 the selected classical languages.
The CoEs will focus on following 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 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, the Centres will strengthen regional ecosystems for higher education, research and scholarship in classical languages.
