Preservation of Manuscript Books and Records Papers

The Ministry of Culture’s Gyan Bharatam portal lists 83,045 paper manuscripts, 5,772 palm‑leaf manuscripts, 3 birch‑bark manuscripts and no parchment manuscripts. Each manuscript pertains to a distinct historical period, and determining its exact age requires ongoing research and de‑codification. The figures were disclosed by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on 20 July 2026.