CENDIT Collection

Content Description

Archival material related to the work of the Centre for Development of Instructional Technology (CENDIT), an experimental AV media organisation based in New Delhi. The collection includes printed items such as training manuals, brochures, newsletters, audio-visual education guides, symposium proceedings, internal journals (Nigah, Clips), and technical booklets on low-cost printing and video production. Dated between 1974 and 1998, these materials document CENDIT’s engagement with community media, development communication, video advocacy, and alternative education. Also part of the collection are 98 black-and-white photographic contact sheets depicting video training sessions, documentation work, field activities, group workshops, equipment repair and demonstrations, and public screenings. These images reflect the working practices, technical innovations and collaborative field settings typical of CENDIT’s approach to media in India.

Condition Description

The collected materials are generally in average conditions. While some paper materials show heavy wear and tear with fold creases, torn and stained pages, others are in good conditions with negligible damage. The contact sheets have been received in an album and most of them are in good condition.

Accession Date

2025-03-27

Disposition

All the materials received from CENDIT are only placed in this collection. No materials have been removed from the collection because a large part of what was to be transferred was destroyed in a flood in the basement before it reached us. These documents provide snapshots of CENDIT'S history from 1972 to 1992. There are duplicate copies of some of the the publications of CENDIT that are being accessed and will be retained. There are other books from the CENDIT library that was given to us. However those were publications of other publishers and are not included in our collection.

Acquisition Type

Gift

Provenance

New Collection; CENDIT papers and photographs given to Advance Media Production (AMP) PAST archive by Rajive Jain on 27 March 2025. This collection is the residual documentation of CENDIT from the period 1970s-2000 (excluding any financial records) that were held by Rajive Jain as Director at the closing in 2006, other stored papers destroyed in a flood in the 2010s.

Retention Rule

This collection preserves materials from CENDIT that document histories and practices of audio visual technologies in rural development from 1970 to 2000. The transfer of physical materials and photographs to AMP (Advance Media Production) is permanent. The Physical documents in reasonably good condition will be stored at AMP, to be made available to individuals and institutions engaged in the area of Science and Technology Studies and History of S&T. All received photographs will be digitised, and housed at the Archives at NCBS. The grantee AMP will retain digital copies, and has begun work on a website to showcase the collection.

Language of Description

English

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

Yes

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for access unless mentioned in specific folders of the finding aid.

Use Restrictions

Copyright may not have been assigned to Archives at NCBS. Permission for reproduction or distribution must be obtained in writing from the Archives at NCBS (archives@ncbs.res.in). See access guidelines for more information (https://archives.ncbs.res.in/access). The Archives at NCBS makes no representation that it is the copyright owner in all of its collections. The user must obtain all necessary rights and clearances before use of material and material may only be reproduced for academic and non-commercial use.