Archives and Records: An Overview

Abstract

Destruction and disintegration of archives in India used to be a natural and common phenomenon in the old days. Whatever sketchy information is available about the various systems of Archives keeping in India in earlier days has been collected, pieced together and presented in this paper. This information, as well as, that on the ancient writing materials may provide a scope for historical research in future. No critical study of origin, growth and development of official archives in India appears to have been attempted in the past. As no two centuries are identical, an Indian archive has a life-history of its own, peculiar to this country. The story seems to be most interesting. An archive in India is not a central subject, but the position may alter if and when parliament declares by law certain categories of records to be of national importance. At present, the Union and State Governments formulate their own archival policies. Official archives alone received consideration in the past. Times are changing fast. Business archives, Institutional archives and Private archives are receiving increased attention of specialists and scholars alike. India abounds with these types of archives. Without planning no organization can function freely. Planning not only adds to efficiency but proves economical at the end. Chronological table of archival events in India, some terms, terminology, notes, etc., and a list of selections from records and books will be useful to the students of archival history and practice.