Ministry of Education Approves Five Centres of Excellence for Classical Languages Across India
In a significant move to promote India’s rich linguistic heritage, the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education has approved the establishment of five Centres of Excellence (CoEs) dedicated to the study, preservation, and promotion of classical languages.
The initiative aims to strengthen academic research, digitise ancient manuscripts, and expand public access to India’s classical knowledge traditions.
The newly approved Centres of Excellence will focus on Classical Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali, and Prakrit languages.
These centres will be hosted by leading academic institutions across the country, enabling region-specific research and scholarly activities.
According to the Ministry’s announcement, Tezpur University in Assam will host the Centre of Excellence for Classical Assamese, while Visva-Bharati University in West Bengal has been selected for Classical Bengali studies.
The Centre for Classical Marathi will be established at Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute in Pune
For Classical Pali, the Centre will be located at the Central University of Odisha in Koraput, while the Central University of Gujarat in Gandhinagar will host the Centre for Classical Prakrit studies.
The initiative is expected to play a crucial role in advancing linguistic research, preserving rare manuscripts, digitising heritage resources, and promoting wider dissemination of classical literature through translations, publications, and academic collaborations.
For Odisha, the approval of the Classical Pali Centre of Excellence at the Central University of Odisha marks a significant development.
The centre is expected to boost advanced research in Pali studies and contribute to the preservation of India’s Buddhist intellectual heritage.
The Ministry’s latest decision reflects the government’s commitment to safeguarding India’s linguistic diversity and ensuring that classical languages remain accessible for future generations through modern research and digital preservation efforts.
