The growth projections of production and capture of digital information or big data are propelled by internet, social networks, e-government and enterprise applications, migration from analogue to digital, cloud based applications, machine to machine and mobile communication, etc. The explosion of digital information has caught us unprepared to handle the threats posed by rapidly changing technologies and digital obsolescence of computer hardware, software, file formats and storage media. The possibilities of data corruption, physical damage and disasters continue to endanger digitally encoded information. The obsolescence of digital content, e-records and the evidentiary proofs can create problems in administrative, judiciary and legislative functions in addition to loss of valuable information, intellectual property and heritage for future generations.
Our digital universe includes text, images, documents, e-files, audio, video, 3D models, web pages, maps, datasets, big data, computer generated microfiche and various other forms of digital information across variety of domains. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the digital content and e-records in all forms of human heritage have to be preserved for access and use in future. It is challenging to ensure the discoverability, accessibility, usability, reliability and authenticity of such digital information over a long period. Therefore, it is necessary to develop Trusted Digital Repositories supported by tools, technologies, standards, best practices and policy for long-term preservation and access.
The Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) has taken early steps towards envisaging a National Digital Preservation Program. The steps taken in actualizing this vision include National Study Report on Digital Preservation Requirements of India and the award of the project “Centre of Excellence for Digital Preservation” to CDAC Pune and CDAC Noida.
For Further Information:
Shri S.A. Kumar
Scientist 'F' & HOD
High Performance Computing Division
Phone No : +91-11- 2436 1186
E-mail : skumar[at]meity[dot]gov[dot]in
