Rules, Recommendations, and Requirements: A Study of Regulations on Archaeological Excavation and Exploration in India

The paper traces the evolution of regulations and policies regarding archaeological excavation and exploration in India. Legal bureaucratic procedures, financial acumen field research and scientific discourse from the Archaeological Survey of India has shaped the narrative of history in South Asia. This study pans through the colonial motives and methods of archaeological research. It also studies various laws and rules that has guided archaeological research in the subcontinent since the nineteenth century. The paper also surveys the recommendations made by various committees for advancing archaeological research in India. The trends of expenses by the ASI between 2011 and 2020 is also studied to shed better light on the preferred areas of expenses in recent times. A critical analysis of the ‘The Final Draft of the National Policy on Excavation and Exploration in India’ is also incorporated in the paper. The paper concludes with some suggestions for an interactive model to develop a relationship between the ASI and other research institutions in India.