Ministry of Minority Affairs approves ‘Centre of Jain Manuscriptology’ (GUCJM) at Gujarat University

Subject: History

Section: Art and culture

Context:

In the spirit of ‘Virasat Se Vikas’ and ‘Virasat Se Samvardhan’, The Ministry of Minority Affairs inspired by ‘Panch Pran’ of Honorable Prime Minister, has approved the ‘Centre of Jain Manuscriptology (GUCJM) at Gujarat University amounting to Rs. 40 Crore.

More on news:

Centre aims at academic support for development of Apbhransh and Prakrit language of Jainism in the University under PMJVK scheme
Centre facilitates collaboration between the University and the Ministry to enhance educational opportunities for minority communities in India to carry out research in the field of Jain Studies.
The initiative will promote education and research in the field of Jain Studies and empowerment of minority communities through education and research.

About Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) scheme:

Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).
The scheme functions under the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
It is an area development programme under which community infrastructure and basic amenities are being created in the identified areas.
The scheme is being implemented under the aegis of the State Governments/ Union Territory (UT) Administrations on a fund sharing pattern and the projects are implemented and managed by the concerned State/ UT Government.
The scheme was restructured and implemented with effect from May, 2018 as Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK), so as to reduce gaps, if any, in the socio-economic parameters in 1300 identified areas of the country.

About Jain Minorities:

This made the Jain community, which makes for 9.5 million or 0.72 percent of the population as per 2011 census.
It is the sixth community to be designated this status as a “national minority”, after Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis.

About Apabhramsha language

It is a literary language of the final phase of the Middle Indo-Aryan languages.
When the Prakrit languages were formalized by literary use, their variations came to be known as Apabhramsha.
Despite this close relationship, scholars generally treat Apabhramsha and the nonliterary Prakrits separately.

About Prakrit language:

Prakrit is a group of vernacular Middle Indo-Aryan languages that were used in the Indian subcontinent from around the 3rd century BCE to the 8th century CE.

The term Prakrit is usually applied to the middle period of Middle Indo-Aryan languages, excluding earlier inscriptions and Pali.