Boletim do Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra

“KVIC and Khadi Industries in India: A Systematic Review of Financial Assistance, Rural Employment.”

RAJESHWARI MC

Purpose:
This research aims to analyse the function of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), operating under the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME). The KVIC helps in income generation, financial support, and employment in rural, semi-urban, and urban regions of India. The study aims to further investigate how the Khadi and Village Industries sector helps empower women and provide socio-economic upliftment by providing aid to artisans in terms of financial assistance and upgradation of skills.

Methodology:
The research used a qualitative approach, studying published as well as grey literature from within India and outside India up to the year 2025 on Khadi and Village Industries. A thematic analysis and Gough’s (2007) a systematic review model technique has been employed to systematically organize and interpret the gathered literature, creating a thorough understanding of different areas like production, sales, employment, and financial assistance within the structure of the KVIC.

Findings:

The study finds that KVIC makes a significant contribution to higher the rural employment opportunities by promoting entrepreneurship and the participation of women in the economic development. The study finds considerable contributions of KVIC schemes, particularly PMEGP, SFURTI, and Khadi Vikas Yojana, towards the increase in productivity, raised income level for artisans, expanded self-employment opportunities and the development of the local economy. The reviewed study shows that the schemes offered by KVIC play a pivotal role in promoting a sustainable environment in the long-lasting enhancement of India’s rich cultural heritage, sustainability and preservation.

Implications:

The reviewed literature highlights how the study can help policymakers, development organisations, and

small entrepreneurs provide strategies for the advancement of rural industries. The study highlights the significance of financial inclusion, continuous skill enhancement and technological advancement for the further improvement of progress and performance of khadi and Village Industries Commission.

Originality/Value:

The reviewed literature come up with an detailed and thorough investigation of khadi and village industries commission (KVIC) leads to an wide ranging impacts on socio economic progress and advancement of rural section.As compared to previous literature, it combines financial, social, and gender overviews, offering a complete analysis of how Khadi and Village Industries in influence rural development and women's empowerment in India.

Nota de Apresentação

Maria Cristina Vieira de Freitas — 2025-12-18

Paleography in Paraguay: an essential tool for historical research

Paola Rossana Dos Santos González

This study analyzes the role of paleography in Paraguay as an essential discipline for historical research, emphasizing its technical, cultural, and methodological dimensions. Based on eleven epistolary interviews with specialists, the findings demonstrate that paleography goes beyond the mere transcription of ancient scripts, functioning as a transformative tool that enables access to primary sources, supports cultural identity, and strengthens professional competencies among researchers. The results also highlight its interdisciplinary nature, establishing connections with linguistics, genealogy, diplomatics, and archival science. However, the current academic context reveals limited curricular visibility and insufficient formal training, which restrict the discipline’s professional projection. Furthermore, challenges such as the complexity of ancient scripts, the material deterioration of documents, and the lack of advanced digital tools demand innovative strategies. Digitalization and technological innovation emerge as essential solutions, fostering preservation, accessibility, and academic reuse of documentary heritage. Ultimately, the study concludes that paleography in Paraguay requires a comprehensive approach that integrates cultural preservation, specialized education, and technological adaptation, positioning it as a strategic discipline for historical knowledge and national identity construction.

Evaluating SPARQL-Based Querying for Semantic Metadata in Open Data Ecosystems

BIDHAN DOLAI

Open data environments are increasingly using semantic metadata to facilitate interoperability, discoverability, and effective data integration. SPARQL, the W3C-standard RDF query language, offers an interface for accessing and manipulating such metadata. This research assesses the efficacy of SPARQL-based querying for open data settings through query performance, accuracy, completeness, and endpoint reliability tests on three datasets: DBpedia, LinkedGeoData, and Open Government Data (India). SPARQL queries for resource discovery, property filtering, relationship traversal, and aggregation were carried out and their outcomes methodically evaluated. Results show that SPARQL effectively fetches semantic metadata, with bigger data sets needing optimization techniques to ensure performance. Precision and exhaustiveness tended to be high, with endpoint stability being a key determinant of query execution. The research points out best practices and issues of SPARQL querying and presents actionable findings for enhancing semantic metadata reuse in open data environments.

Os profissionais da informação da Região do Algarve: 2020-2025

Carlos Guardado da Silva — 2025-12-18

No contexto da Sociedade da Informação e das estratégias nacional e europeia da transição digital para a década 2020-2030, a gestão da informação assume um valor crítico para as organizações, que dependem cada vez mais de profissionais da informação qualificados. Volvidos cinco anos sobre a recolha dos primeiros dados sólidos sobre os profissionais da informação na Região do Algarve, aplica-se de novo um inquérito tendo em vista a sua identificação e caraterização, numa abordagem comparativa entre 2020 e 2025, procurando conhecer o seu número, sexo, idade, formação e categoria profissional.

Este é um estudo descritivo e explicativo, orientado pelo paradigma pragmático e assente em métodos mistos, com recurso à investigação documental e ao inquérito por questionário, aplicado em maio de 2025, que procura responder à seguinte questão de investigação: Quem exerce a gestão da informação como sua profissão nos arquivos da Região do Algarve, entre 2020 e 2025? Em termos de resultados, foi possível identificar 162 profissionais da informação, em que 25,3% tem formação superior especializada na área da ciência da informação, e em que a maioria se encontra na carreira profissional de assistente técnico. Em conclusão, esta é uma população com acentuada feminização e envelhecida.