UGC sets up panel to develop model syllabus for courses in study of manuscripts

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has established a dedicated panel with the purpose of crafting comprehensive model syllabi for manuscriptology and paleography courses. These syllabi will be implemented across diverse colleges and universities.

Manuscriptology involves the exploration of historical and literary aspects using handwritten documents, whereas paleography focuses on deciphering ancient writing systems, predominantly from classical and medieval eras.

Overseen by Prafulla Mishra, former Director of the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM), an 11-member committee has been established for it. This committee includes Malhar Kulkarni, a professor at IIT-Mumbai; Vasant Bhatt, former Director of the School of Languages at Gujarat University; and Jatindra Mohan Mishra, a Sanskrit professor at NCERT, Delhi.

In correspondence with the NMM, which presented a proposal in accordance with the National Education Policy 2020, the UGC communicated, “The committee’s formation aims to standardise postgraduate diploma programmes in manuscriptology and paleography across various colleges and universities.”