- Centres for Classical Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali and Prakrit to be established at five universities and institutions
New Delhi, October 3, 2026: The Ministry of Education has approved the establishment of five Centres of Excellence (CoEs) dedicated to the study of Classical Assamese, Classical Bengali, Classical Marathi, Classical Pali and Classical Prakrit.
The approval was conveyed through an Office Memorandum issued by the Department of Higher Education, Language Division, Ministry of Education, dated October 1, 2026.
According to the memorandum, the Centres of Excellence are being established with the objective of strengthening academic research, digitization, preservation and dissemination of the heritage associated with these classical languages.
Five Centres of Excellence and Their Locations
The Ministry of Education has designated the following institutions for the five Centres of Excellence:
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Classical Assamese: Tezpur University, Assam
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Classical Bengali: Visva-Bharati University, West Bengal
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Classical Marathi: Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra
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Classical Pali: Central University of Odisha, Odisha
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Classical Prakrit: Central University of Gujarat, Gujarat
The Office Memorandum specifically states that the centres will contribute to strengthening academic research and efforts related to the digitization, preservation and dissemination of the heritage of the respective classical languages.
Centre for Classical Assamese at Tezpur University
Tezpur University in Assam has been selected to host the Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Assamese. The centre will provide an institutional platform for academic work focused on the language and its heritage.
Centre for Classical Bengali at Visva-Bharati University
Visva-Bharati University in West Bengal will host the Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Bengali. The centre will support academic research and preservation-related activities concerning Classical Bengali.
Centre for Classical Marathi at Deccan College
The Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Marathi will be established at Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, a deemed-to-be university located in Pune, Maharashtra.
Centre for Classical Pali at Central University of Odisha
The Central University of Odisha will host the Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Pali. The initiative is intended to provide a dedicated institutional base for academic research and preservation of Pali heritage.
Centre for Classical Prakrit at Central University of Gujarat
The Central University of Gujarat has been selected for the Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Prakrit.
Focus on Research and Preservation
The five Centres of Excellence are intended to strengthen institutional efforts surrounding India's classical language heritage. According to the Ministry's memorandum, their focus will include:
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Academic research
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Digitization of heritage and scholarly resources
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Preservation of classical language heritage
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Dissemination of knowledge and research
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Strengthening academic study of the respective languages
The establishment of these centres provides dedicated institutional locations for advancing studies in the five languages covered by the October 1 memorandum.
Recent reports also confirm the five institutional designations and the focus on research, digitization, preservation and dissemination of the languages' heritage.
Ministry of Education Office Memorandum
The memorandum was issued by the Language Division of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India. It is numbered No. 8-44/2024/L-II and dated October 1, 2026.
The document was addressed to the Vice-Chancellors of the five selected institutions.
FAQs
1. How many Centres of Excellence have been approved for classical languages?
Five Centres of Excellence have been approved.
2. Which classical languages are covered?
The five languages are Classical Assamese, Classical Bengali, Classical Marathi, Classical Pali and Classical Prakrit.
3. Where will the Centre of Excellence for Classical Assamese be established?
It will be established at Tezpur University, Assam.
4. Where will the Classical Bengali Centre of Excellence be located?
The Classical Bengali Centre of Excellence will be established at Visva-Bharati University, West Bengal.
5. Which institution will host the Classical Marathi Centre?
The Centre for Classical Marathi will be established at Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra.
6. Where will the Centre for Classical Pali be established?
The Centre for Classical Pali will be established at the Central University of Odisha.
7. Where will the Centre for Classical Prakrit be established?
The Centre for Classical Prakrit will be established at the Central University of Gujarat.
8. What is the purpose of these Centres of Excellence?
According to the Ministry's Office Memorandum, the centres are intended to strengthen academic research, digitization, preservation and dissemination of the heritage of the respective classical languages.
9. When was the Office Memorandum issued?
The Office Memorandum was dated October 1, 2026.
10. Which Ministry approved the Centres of Excellence?
The approval was issued by the Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education, Language Division, Government of India.
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