Centre of Excellence for Classical Assamese to be Established at Tezpur University
In a significant step towards the study, research and preservation of Classical Assamese, the Government of India has approved the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Assamese at Tezpur University, Assam.
The Ministry of Education’s Department of Higher Education, Language Division, issued an Office Memorandum dated October 1, 2026, announcing the approval for the establishment of five Centres of Excellence dedicated to the study of Classical Assamese, Classical Bengali, Classical Marathi, Classical Pali and Classical Prakrit.
According to the notification, Tezpur University has been selected for the Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Assamese. The other centres will be established at Visva-Bharati University, West Bengal for Classical Bengali; Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune for Classical Marathi; Central University of Odisha for Classical Pali; and Central University of Gujarat for Classical Prakrit.
The Centres of Excellence will focus on strengthening academic research, digitisation, preservation and dissemination of the rich heritage of these classical languages.
The new centre at Tezpur University is expected to provide a dedicated platform for research into the linguistic and literary heritage of Assamese, including the preservation and digitisation of manuscripts and other historical materials.
The approval comes after Assamese was granted Classical Language status, with efforts being made to establish a dedicated institution for the systematic study and preservation of the language’s rich literary and linguistic heritage.
The initiative is expected to open up new opportunities for research and academic work on Classical Assamese and help take the language’s rich heritage to future generations.
The decision has been welcomed as an important step towards strengthening the academic study, preservation and promotion of the Assamese language and its classical heritage.
