ADMINISTRATION AND MISCELLANEOUS

`A' SECRETARIAT

The provision under this sub-head is made for the pay and other expenditure incurred on the staff employed in the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research. Forty gazetted and 309 non- gazetted posts (both for short and long durations) have been created so far during the current financial year to cope with the growing work in the Ministry in connection with the implementation of Five-Year Plans, Buddha Jayanti Celebrations, Hindi Dictionary, Youth Festival and other schemes.

(Demand No. 13).

Expenditure in respect of (i) Education Department in the 'Indian Embassy, USA, (ii) Education Department, Indian High Commission, UK, (iii) Education Section, Indian Legation, Bonn and (iv) Education Section, Indian High Commission, Nairobi, is met under this Head. During the current year, two extra posts 'of Education Officers, one in the High Commission, London and the other in the Indian Embassy, Bonn, were created to meet the growing requirements of Indian students in these countries.

(Demand No. 20).

Twelve gazetted and 299 non-gazetted posts (mostly of short ,duration) were created during the current financial year to cope with the growing work relating to General Conference of Unesco.

(Demand No. 22).

Coordination Unit.

-In September, 1955 a separate Unit called "Coordination Unit" was set up in the Ministry with the primary object of coordinating all activities of the Ministry, relating to Educational Development Programmes under the First and Second Five- Year Plans. In September, 1956, a Conference of State Education Ministers was convened with the object of discussing procedures to be adopted for smooth and speedy implementation of the Educational Development Programmes under the Second Five-Year Plan.

The only scheme with which the Coordination Unit is directly concerned is the State Scheme "Setting up of Planning and Statistical Units in States Education Departments". It has been decided

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to meet 50 per cent. of the expenditure involved, if the State Gov- ernments concerned include the Corresponding scheme in their Educational Development Programmes approved by the Planning Commission. During 1956-57, a sum of Rs. 1.78 lakhs has been sanctioned to State Governments on the above account.

(Demand No. 21).

NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF INDIA

An allotment of Rs. 16,29,000 was placed at the disposal of this Department for the year 1956-57. For the year 1957-58 a provision of Rs. 14,16,100 has been proposed in the budget of this Department.

(Demand No. 22).

Acquisition.

-Acute shortage of space continued to impede the process of concentrating at the National Archives repository. The total record acquisition during the year was limited to 10,400 files and 316 volumes. The Department's collection of private archives and historical manuscripts was however enriched by the addition of a few new items both in English and in Oriental languages, some being acquired by purchase, others by gift. The map collection of the Department was likewise enriched by the accrual of 337 old Indian Atlas sheets and 25 miscellaneous maps belonging to the Survey of India and a copy of Renneks Bengal Atlas received as a: gift. A sum of Rs. 25,000 sanctioned in 1955-56 enabled the Department to acquire from repositories like the British Museum. London, Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, and Algemeen Rijkars chief, the Hague, 259 reels of micro-copies of records and historical manuscripts of Indian interest relating to the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Photostat copies of Mahatma Gandhi's letters to Mrs. Esther Menon, 142 in number, were received as a gift from the Danish Delegation to the Ninth Unesco Conference. 3561 books and periodicals, of which 307 were received under the India Wheat Loan-Educational Exchange Programme, were added to the Library.

Checking and Listing.

-78,860 original consultations and files of Foreign, Home and Legislative Departments were check-listed during the year. The listing of Persian Correspondence relating to 1810-1814 was likewise completed and the letters for 1815-16 were taken up. A list was also prepared of Persian, Arabic and Urdu Manuscripts in the Department. Progress was made in the, cataloguing of the printed maps in the Department and as many as 3,500 maps were listed.

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Research and Reference.

-Sixty-three official and 26 private enquiries on a variety of topics-historical, administrative as well as archival-were dealt with by the Department during the year under review. 50,077 records were issued to various users, both official and non-official. Similarly 28,735 books from the Library were made available for consultation. 113 Scholars were afforded facilities for conducting research among the records in the custody of the Department. 18,537 pages of excerpts from records were received for scrutiny from the Research Scholars and 16,164 pages were released to them for their use. The Scholars were helped with bibliographical and other aids. Three Fellowship Scholars, appointed by the Government of India to conduct research among original materials, completed their work and one scholar is still engaged in the work.

Repair and Rehabilitation.

-Under the normal rehabilitation programme 1,15,111 sheets of records, 243 maps and 19 volumes were repaired with acetate foil with the help of the laminating hydraulic press which started functioning during the year. Manual repair of documents too brittle for mechanical handling was continued as usual.

Two Officers of the Department were deputed to a number of technical institutions to study respectively up-to-date binding techniques and research methods ancillary. to scientific treatment archives.

Technical Service and Advisory Works.

-Repair service was rendered to 19 outside agencies and individuals. Information on repairs and preservation method was furnished to 41 institutions. Photo duplication service was rendered to 65 scholars and institutions in India as well as abroad. The Director of Archives. Government of India, inspected the Central Government records in the custody of the State Governments of Madras, Ajmer, Coorg and Kutch. He was also appointed to the Advisory Committee set up by the Government of India to select historical portraits for postage stamps commemorating the 1857 movement.

Research Laboratory.

-A few samples of tissue paper, handmade paper and dextrine powder were tested with a view to ascertaining their suitability for repair work. A sample sheet of heat-sealing film received from the National Archives, Bhopal Branch, was similarly tested with a view to determining its usefulness in lamination. The suitability of mercurous chloride as a substitute for lead carbonate in dextrine paste was likewise studied.

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Photo-Duplication.

-8,00,000 pages of the records of the late Foreign Department were microfilmed.

Publication

.-The printing of the text of Volume 1 of the Fort William--India House Correspondence was completed and the printing of Volume II is almost complete. More than half of Volume IX has been set in type and the typescript of Volume XIII has been sent to the press. Volume IX (No. 1) of the Indian Archives was published and the material for No. 2 was sent to press. The Annual Report of the Department for 1954 was published and the material for the next report was collected.

The printing of Volume X (1792-93) of the Calendar of Persian Correspondence continued to make good progress. Progress was also maintained in the compilation of Volume XI (1794-95). Further progress was made in the printing of the Index to the Foreign and Political Department records (1756-80). The compilation of the next volume of the Index is in progress.

Indian Historial Records Commission.

-The 32nd Annual Session of the Indian Historical Records Commission as also the 22nd meeting of its Research and Publication Committee were held at Patna in December 1956 under the joint auspices of the Patna and Bihar Universities. Both the Commission and its Committee discussed a number of problems vitally connected with the treatment of archives in India.

National Committee of Archivists.

-The Committee held its fourth and fifth meetings at Patna and Simla respectively during 1956 and made recommendations particularly relating to archival building, photo-duplication and experiments on the use of dehumidifying machines.

Training in Archives Science.

-Four trainees were trained in the One-Year Course and 26 in the shorter three-month course in 1956. Eleven trainees have been trained during the first three months of 1957. Of the four One-Year trainees, two were awarded a stipend of Rs. 125 p.m. each.

Regional Office, Bhopal.

-The collection at the Regional Office was enriched by a considerable number of new files belonging to the former Bhopal State. The Regional Office is engaged in checking, arranging, listing and rehabilitating these records.

Programme for 1957-58

The programme for 1957-58 will include the construction of an annexe to the present National Archives Building, not only to take

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over the huge mass of records lying uncared for in their originating offices, but to make possible among other things a better redistri- bution of the various units recently started in the Department under its development programme. Besides the usual items of work under different heads, the Department is expected to take up publication of a new series of selections from records in continuation of the volumes edited by Sharp and Richey. Among other significant items to be taken up are a programme of tendering repair and microfilm service to the Raza Library, Rampur, the completion of the building to house the former Bhopal Government's Archives in the custody of the National Archives Regional Office at Bhopal, installation of a smoke detector system in the present National Archives building, New Delhi, enactment of suitable legislation on public archives and further liberalisation in the rules governing public access to records.

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY

During the financial year 1956-57, the total sanctioned budget grant for Archaeology is Rs. 83,26,000, This provision included Rs. 50,000 for reimbursement of expenditure to certain Part B States.

A provision of Rs. 1,07,57,000 has been made for 1957-58.

(Demand No. 14).

The activities of the Department may be summed up as follows:

Publications

Progress in publications is as follows:

(a) Ancient India No. 12 has come out of press and No. 13 is under preparation for press.

(b) Guide Books: (i) Guide books to Rajgir, Sarnath, Ajanta, Sravasti and Agra Fort have been printed. (ii) Guide to Kushinagar is in the final stage of printing. (iii) Guides to Bhuvaneshwar and Golconda are being made press ready.

(c) Archaeological Memoirs: (i) Memoir No, 72-Antiquities of Chamba is in the final stage of printing. (ii-iii) Memoir on The Great Temple of Tanjore, its sculptures and paintings by T. N. Ramachandran and Memoir on Kausambi by G. R. Sharma are being made press ready.

(d) Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: (1) A scheme for publication of future volumes of Corpus Inscriptionum, Indicarum has been drawn up and the work entrusted to the Departmental and nonDepartmental scholars.

(2) Vol. IV-Chedi-Kalachuri Inscriptions by Professor V. V. Mirashi came out of the press.

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(3) Vol. II-Barhut Inscriptions by the late German Scholar Heinrich Liiders and Vol. VI on Vakataka Inscriptions by Professor V. V. Mirashi are ready for the press.

(e) Epigraphia Indica: Vol. XXIV, Part VIII and Vol. XXX, Parts III, IV, V, VI and VII have been printed. Vol. XXXI, Parts I and II are in the final printing stage and material for Parts III, IV and V have been sent to press. The reprinting of Vols. I-X has been entrusted to the press.

(f) Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy: The reports for the years 1948-49, 1949-50 and 1950-51 have been printed, while the report for the years 1951-52 is in the final stage of printing. Material for the years 1952-53, 1953-54 and 1954-55 are in press.

(g) South Indian Inscriptions: Vol. XIV-Pandyas is ready for press and Vols. XV-XX are being prepared for press.

(h) Indian Archaeology, 1955-56: A Review was brought out on the occasion of the meeting of the Central Advisory of Archaeology held on 22nd September, 1956.

(i) Picture Postcards: Several sets of picture postcards of out- standing monuments have already been printed and more sets are being prepared for press.

Conservation of Ancient Monuments.

-Apart from jungle- clearance and execution of repairs of an ordinary nature at a very large number of monuments, major works are being undertaken at several monuments throughout India. Special mention may be made of the tomb of Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan and Jami Masjid at Delhi where extensive structural repairs are in progress. Special repairs still continue to the Sun Temple at Konarak. A committee of experts was constituted to advise on the preservation of the surviving Minar of the Dharara Mosque at Banaras and three meetings were held during the year under report. The recommendations of the committee are being implemented. A committee has also been formed to examine the condition of the Taj Mahal, Agra. An estimate for Rs. 8,03,000 has been framed for the repairs to this renowned monument. The other outstanding monuments which are receiving attention are: Sibdole Temple, Group of monuments at Mahabalipuram, Kailasanathaswami Temple at Kanchipuram, Rock-cut Temple at Tirunarenkunram, District Madurai, Brihadisvara Temple at Tanjore, post-Gupta temples at Badoli, District Chittorgarh, Khajuraho temples, Red Fort, Delhi, etc.

The chemical treatment of monuments and mural paintings is progressing satisfactorily and striking results were obtained at most places.

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The nursery area at the Central Asian Antiquities Museum Was completely vacated and plants were removed to the low-lying area at Humayun Tomb. The gardens attached to the monuments in and around Delhi and at Agra were improved.

Exploration and Excavation.

-The Excavations Branch of the Department continued the excavations at Nagda and Ujjain that were begun in the earlier part of 1956. The Western Circle resumed excavation at Lothal, District Ahmedabad. The excavation revealed three main periods of occupation, viz., Pre-Defence, Defence and Post- Defence Periods. The culture represented by the entire deposit was, however, one, viz., Harappan. The excavation of the megalithic site at Kunnatur, District Chingleput, which was undertaken early in March, 1956 by the Southern Circle with a view to linking up the megaliths with a habitation-site in the neighbourhood and obtaining fresh light on megalithic types was completed successfully. The excavation at Nagarjunikonda, Guntur District, has been intensified with a view to completing the salvage of the monuments and relics in the site within the specified period. The excavation there has brought to light very important data that make a significant contribution to Andhra history and culture, particularly on the vicissitudes of Buddhism in this area. The exploration at Chandraketurgarh a Berachampa, District 24 Parganas, resulted in the discovery of antiquities and potsherds ranging in date from the Maurya to the Gupta period. As a result of further systematic exploration in Saurashtra several "Harappa" and "Post-Harappa" sites have been discovered. A site of the early historical period was explored near Ghantasala, District Krishna, possibly Contacossyla of Ptolemy.

The Exploration Branch of the Department has since undertaken exploration of the Udaipur region.

Museums.

-Improvements to museums under the charge of this Department were carried out and a few acquisitions of important art objects were made, A "Unesco Museum Week" was celebrated throughout the country in the second week of October, 1956. In connection with the celebration of the 2500th Buddha-parinirvana anniversary, the museums at Sarnath and Nalanda were overhauled. At the instance of the Buddha Jayanti Working Committee a new site-museum at Bodh Gaya, to be run by this Department, was built. It was opened by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 28th December, 1956. The museum houses sculptures and other antiquities found at Bodh Gaya and its neighbourhood.

An exhibition of Buddhist Art was organised in the Archaeological Section, Indian Museum, Calcutta on the 27th May, 1956, on the

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auspicious occasion of the Buddha Jayanti and an illustrated catalogue of the Exhibition was also brought out.

Epigraphy

-Important records and inscriptions were reviewed by the Government Epigraphist in India. The Assistant Superintendent for Epigraphy (Arabic and Persian) copied new inscriptions from different places of the country. The work of compilation of Epigraphia Indica (Arabic and Persian Supplement) for 1955-56 which is intended to include inscriptions stored in various museums of the country is almost complete.

Other Activities.

-The Superintendent, Temple Survey Project, North India, surveyed the groups of temples at Khajuraho, and worked out their relative chronology on the basis of the development of plan, design and plastic style supported by inscriptional evidence. He also surveyed the temples of Gyaraspur, Paramava temples of Udayesvara at Udaipur, Mahadeva Temples at Bhojpur, Gupta Temples at Sanchi and Nachna Kuthara in Madhya Pradesh. The Superintendent, Temple Survey Project, South India, surveyed the Pallava Temples in and around Madras, in Chittoor, Chingleput, North Arcot and South Arcot Districts. A glossary of architectural terms in relation to South Indian Temple architecture is under active preparation.