National Archives of India is the Secretariat of Indian Historical Records Committee. The Indian Historical Records Committee is an all India Forum of creators, custodians and users of records which was set up in 1919 to advice the Government of India on all issues connected with the management of records and their use for historical research. The Committee is headed by the Union Minister of Culture and comprises members including nominees of the Government of India, representatives from Central/State Governments, Universities and Learned institutions. The Committee has so far held 63 sessions and the last (63rd) session was held on 18-19 December 2022 at Lucknow under the auspices of the Uttar Pradesh State Archives.
Constitition Of Indian Historical Records Committee
(As Approved On 2 November 2017)
1. Background
The Indian Historical Records Commission (re-designated Indian Historical Records Committee), was set up by the Government of India in 1919 (vide Department of Education Resolution No.77, dated 21 March 1919) as a consulting body, whose opinion would carry weight with the public and which would make enquiries and recommendations regarding:
- Treatment of archives for historical study
- The scale and plan on which the cataloguing, the calendaring and reprinting of each class of documents should be undertaken
- The sums required for encouraging research among, and publication of records
- Selection of competent scholars for editing documents
- The problems of public access to records
With a view to promoting active cooperation of the various State Governments in India as also the universities and learned institutions in the country in the activities of the Committee, the Government of India (vide their Department of Education, Health and Lands, Resolution No. F.92-9/40-E, dated 10 September 1941), took steps to reform the Constitution of the Committee by providing for the inclusion of nominees of the various State Governments in India as also those of the Universities and Learned Societies.
The INDIAN HISTORICAL RECORDS COMMITTEE (hereafter IHRC) has, over the years, contributed significantly to the growth of public interest in the conservation and use of archives. The Government of India recognizes that it was through the initiative of the IHRC and its different Committees that many new sources of information have been brought to light and saved for posterity, many collections of documents have been published and made accessible to scholars, facilities for the use of records have been materially enhanced and a new conscience has been aroused in the public mind in respect of the sanctity of historical evidence. While the Government of India notes with deep appreciation these and other achievements of the Committee, much work still remains to be done and that a host of important problems are still awaiting to be tackled. Very little systematic effort has been made to survey, describe, organize or make use of records in private custody, and particularly, those of institutional, religious or commercial origin. Lack of trained archivists continues seriously to impede the archival work in the country and the training facilities available in the National Archives of India have hardly stimulated an adequate response among the owners of archival holdings. The Government believes that these constitute very serious lacunae in the academic life of the nation and that greater and more whole-hearted cooperation between the custodians of records and historical materials on the one hand and their users on the other, is the only means by which these deficiencies could be removed.
In order to promote such cooperation the Government of India, in supersession of all earlier Resolutions on the same subject, is pleased to sanction a reconstitution of the IHRC on the following lines:
2. Composition
The IHRC shall consist of the following Members:
2.1. Ex-Officio Members
- Minister of Culture, Government of India......... Chairperson
- Secretary (Culture), Government of India......... Member
Director General of Archives............................. Member -Secretary
2.2. Nominees of the Government of India
10 eminent archivists and historians to be appointed by the Government of India on the basis of their specialized knowledge of the treatment of archives or their original contribution to the post-1600 period of Indian History.
2.3. Central Government Nominees
Three representatives of the following agencies of the Government of India:
- Ministry of Home Affairs
- Ministry of Defence
Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances
2.4. Nominees of the State Governments/Union Territories Administrations
Representatives from all State Governments/ Union Territories Administrations that have an organized records repository of their own. These nominee should invariably be the custodian of the Archives of the State/ Union Territory.
2.5. Nominees of Universities
70 nominees from Universities in India teaching post-1600 period of Indian History and encouraging research and publication of original records, and co-operating with the IHRC in organizing its own archives.
2.6. Nominees of the Learned Institutions
20 nominees from Learned Institutions with proven contribution for encouraging historical research, publication and in conducting survey and exploration of records in private and semi-private custody.
Note (Paras 2.5 and 2.6): The nominees of the Universities, and Learned Institutions should be persons of academic distinction with considerable amount of original research work to their credit. All such nominees will become members of the IHRC only after their nominations have been approved and notified by the Government of India.
3. Term Of The IHRC
The Members of the Committee, other than ex-officio Members will be appointed for a term of five years as follows:
All appointments and re-appointments for a full term of five years will be en-bloc with effect from the same date. Vacancy due to resignation or otherwise which may occur during the said period of five years will not be filled for another term of five years but only for the unexpired period of the existing term.
4. Scope Of The IHRC
- To act as a forum for exchange between creators, custodians and users of archives and historical documents, of ideas and experiences relating to treatment, preservation and use of archives, and to make recommendations to appropriate bodies, official or non-official in this behalf.
- To act as a forum for discussion on archives in relation to historical problems requiring investigation, particularly in relation to those on which little or no work has been done, and to hold Academic Sessions. At this Academic Session, papers based on newly discovered original records pertaining to the post-1600 period of Indian history be read and discussed. These papers should be written either by the Members of the IHRC or communicated through them if written by other scholars. All such papers should be circulated in advance after getting them approved by an EDITORIAL COMMITTEE to be constituted for the purpose (See Para 6.2 below).
- To promote the salvaging and use of material in private and semi-public custody (including institutional, religious and business records) in collaboration with universities, libraries, museums, learned societies, and similar local bodies, and to act as a disseminator of information on the work done in this field.
- To act generally as an intermediary between records and historical manuscript repositories on the one hand, and bodies interested in research on the other.
To publish proceedings and bulletins embodying reports on its activities and on other matters promoting its objectives.
5. Meeting Of The IHRC
The IHRC shall normally meet once a year at a place rich in archival materials being selected as the venue. Each session should include:
- A Public Meeting devoted to the report to be presented by the Secretary on the archival progress in the country.
- A Business Meeting for the discussion of the Secretary’s Report as also the problems relating to keeping and use of archives that may be referred to it by the members and for review of programmes undertaken by different bodies under its auspices.
- Academic Session(s) for reading and discussion of research papers based on original records pertaining to the post-1600 period of Indian history. Such sessions shall be open to the interested public.
The Meetings of the IHRC are to be presided over by the ex-officio President. He shall however, have the right to nominate a senior Member of the IHRC to act as President in his absence.
6. Committees Of The IHRC
The IHRC may appoint one or more Committees to deal with the particular problems requiring investigation. Such Committees shall submit their reports to the Committee.
6.1. Standing Committee
The STANDING COMMITTEE shall be set up with the following composition and functions:
6.1.1. Composition
- Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India…..... Ex Officio Chairman
- 5 Members of the IHRC to be nominated by the Government of India.............. Members
- Director General of Archives.................. Ex-Officio Secretary
d. Deputy Director of Archives, National Archives of India (dealing with the Committee)............. Ex Officio Joint Secretary
6.1.2. Functions
The Standing Committee will review the action taken from time to time on the recommendations made by the IHRC, consider all reports and items referred to it, express its views on the agenda for the IHRC’s meeting, and perform such other functions as the Government of India or the President of the Committee may assign to it.
The Standing Committee will ordinarily meet twice a year.
6.2. Editorial Committee
The EDITORIAL COMMITTEE shall set up with the following composition and functions:
6.2.1. Composition
- A Senior Member of the IHRC ………………………….. Chairman
- Two members representing the fields of history/ archives …… Members
Director General of Archives.................. Member Secretary
6.2.2. Functions
The Editorial Committee will review all research papers submitted by the Members of the IHRC or communicated through them, if written by other scholars, for presentation at the Academic Session(s) of the IHRC.
It will also review all papers that are presented at the Academic Session(s) of the IHRC and recommend whether it has to be included in published Proceedings of the IHRC in full form or as an Abstract.
The Editorial Committee will ordinarily meet twice a year.
7. Travelling Allowance
The travelling allowance of the Ex-Officio President, Secretary, Ministry of Culture (Ex- Officio Chairman of the Standing Committee), the nominees of the Government of India, referred to in Para 2.2 and such members of the Standing Committee who are Government officials attending the meeting(s) of the IHRC and its Committees will be charged on the Central Revenues, and the expenditure for the same will be debitable to the same head as their pay.
Non-officials appointed by the Government of India as Members of the IHRC or its Committees will draw travelling allowances for attending meetings of the IHRC or its Committees at rates admissible to Grade-I Officers of the Central Government and daily allowances at the highest rate admissible to Grade-I Officers of the Central Government for respective localities. The expenditure will be met from the budget grant of the National Archives of India. The State Governments, the Universities and other Constituent Institutions will be required to bear the travelling allowances of their nominees. The travelling allowance for non-official members other than Central Government nominees who may be appointed to serve on any Committee of the IHRC will be paid at the same rate as those of non-official members appointed by the Central Government as Ordinary Members.