Patna: Bihar has made significant progress in the conservation and digitisation of manuscripts, rising to third place nationally under the Gyan Bharatam Mission, officials said after a high-level review meeting chaired by chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit.
The meeting, organised by the state’s Art and Culture Department, reviewed the status of manuscript surveys and verification across all districts.
Sharp Increase In Verified Manuscripts
Officials reported a rapid rise in verified surveys between April 9 and April 27, with the number increasing from 53 to 707.
The total number of verified manuscripts has reached 7,49,923, up from 3,69,554 earlier.
All 38 districts of Bihar have now been covered under the initiative.
Bihar Among Top States
Bihar accounts for around 22% of the total manuscripts surveyed in India, placing it among the leading states after Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Within the state, Madhubani leads with 3,96,487 verified manuscripts, followed by Gaya, Sitamarhi, Patna and Darbhanga.
At the lower end, Jamui reported the least number of manuscripts.
High Rejection Rate Raises Concern
The review also highlighted that surveys relating to over 5.59 lakh manuscripts were rejected during verification.
Officials said districts such as Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Patna recorded high numbers of accepted manuscripts, but emphasised the need to improve data quality and verification standards.
Directives To Districts
The chief secretary directed district magistrates to intensify efforts to identify and document manuscripts, including those held privately.
He called for the creation of district-level informal groups led by nodal officers, involving experts and local institutions to support the mission.
Authorities were also asked to analyse the reasons behind the high rejection rate and organise training and awareness campaigns to improve the quality of submissions.
Push For National Leadership
Officials said the state aims to further strengthen its manuscript conservation efforts and emerge as a national leader in the field.
The initiative is part of a broader push to preserve Bihar’s rich cultural and literary heritage through systematic documentation and digitisation.
