Art & Culture MCQs - 2026-09-20

Ancient Indian manuscripts were traditionally written on materials like palm leaves, birch bark, and later, handmade paper. Microfilm rolls are a modern archival technology used for preserving documents, not a material on which ancient manuscripts were originally written.

The primary objectives of digital archiving initiatives for ancient Indian manuscripts are to ensure their long-term preservation from physical decay, make them widely accessible to scholars and the public globally, facilitate research, and safeguard them against loss due to natural calamities or human factors.

The National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM), established in 2003 under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, is the nodal agency for identifying, documenting, conserving, and making accessible the vast manuscript wealth of India, including through digital archiving.

The GI tag primarily serves to identify goods originating from a specific geographical territory, possessing qualities or a reputation due to that origin. For Kashmiri Pashmina, it protects its authenticity, quality, and traditional craftsmanship, safeguarding it against imitation and ensuring fair returns for genuine producers.

The Geographical Indications Registry, functioning under the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (which is part of Intellectual Property India, under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade - DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry), is responsible for administering the GI Act and granting/renewing GI tags in India.

Kashmiri Pashmina is renowned for its exceptional softness and warmth, derived from the fine undercoat of the Changthangi goat (Capra hircus), native to the high-altitude regions of Ladakh.