Preservation and Conservation of the Indian Immigration Records

One of the main pillars of Archives Management devotes itself to the proper conservation and preservation of records, implying the adoption of proper restorative and preventive measures to safeguard of data, and to preserve the authenticity of documents.

In 1978 through the transfer process from the National Archives, the records were received in bulk, and the MGI had established a conservation program which involved the process of rebinding all registers in a uniformed and categorized manner.

The records are kept in an environment where temperature and humidity are controlled so as to slow down the deterioration process of the paper. Records are stored in an air-conditioned area 24/7 (18-21 degrees) and controlled humidity of 53-70%, with a periodic fumigation (every 4-6 years). The office space is also equipped with professional fire hazard system. Restorative measures, have also been implemented to repair tears and brittle pages in the volumes.

Computerization of Data

More than 90% of the 450,000 Indian Immigration records have already been transcribed and inputted into the Indian Immigration Archives database. The project is due to be completed by the September 2018.

Digitization of Original Manuscripts

The whole photograph collection and all the original manuscripts housed at the Indian Immigration Archives are currently being digitized and as at February 2018, more than 15,000 pages have already been digitized.