Official Languages and Status of Classical Language

India, known for its incredible diversity in languages and cultures, has carefully defined its linguistic landscape through constitutional provisions. The Indian Constitution, in Part 17 (Articles 343 to 351), outlines the official language of the Republic of India, as well as provisions for classical languages.

Official Language of India

Hindi, written in the Devanagari script, holds the distinction of being the official language of the Union of India. The Constitution originally stipulated that English would cease to be used for official purposes 15 years after its commencement on January 26th. This led to widespread protests among non-Hindi speaking communities, resulting in the enactment of The Official Languages Act, 1963. This act declared Hindi in the Devanagari script as the official language of the Union while granting English the status of a "subsidiary official language."

The Indian Constitution also allows each state to choose its official language(s) for state-level communications. Initially, 14 languages were listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution for use by the states. These languages were:

• Assamese
• Bengali
• Gujarati
• Hindi
• Kannada
• Kashmiri
• Malayalam
• Marathi
• Oriya
• Punjabi
• Sanskrit
• Tamil
• Telugu
• Urdu

Subsequently, Sindhi was added as the 15th language through the 21st Amendment Act of 1967. Over the years, more languages found their place in the Eighth Schedule:

Three languages (Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali) were added by the 71st Amendment Act in 1992.

The 92nd Amendment Act in 2003 included four more languages (Bodo, Maithili, Dogri, and Santhali).

Presently, there are 22 languages listed under the Eighth Schedule, representing the linguistic richness of India.

Official Languages in States

While Hindi is the official language of India, states have the liberty to adopt one or more languages for official purposes, which may include Hindi or the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule. States can also adopt languages not listed in the Schedule for their official functions. For instance, Tripura uses Kokborok, Puducherry uses French, and Mizoram uses Mizo as their official languages.

Language of Communication between Union and States

As per Article 346 of the Constitution, the official language for communication between states or between a state and the Union is English. However, if two or more states agree, Hindi can be used for such communication.

Language of Courts

Article 348 states that English shall be used in the Supreme Court, high courts, and for bills and acts until Parliament legislates otherwise.

Special Directive for Promotion of Hindi

Article 351 imposes a duty on the Union to promote and develop the Hindi language, drawing upon Sanskrit and other Indian languages. This directive aims to preserve and enrich the cultural and linguistic diversity of India while advancing the spread of Hindi.

Status of Classical Languages

India has recognized several languages as classical languages based on specific criteria. The call for recognizing classical languages began with Tamil academicians, who argued that Sangam anthologies should be considered classical due to their antiquity and literary significance. Subsequently, a committee established criteria for granting classical status to languages, which include:

• High antiquity of early texts or recorded history spanning 1500-2000 years.
• A body of ancient literature valued across generations.
• Originality in the literary tradition, distinct from borrowed influences.
• Distinctness between classical language and its modern forms.

As of now, six languages have been recognized as classical languages in India:

• Tamil (2004)
• Sanskrit (2005)
• Kannada (2008)
• Telugu (2008)
• Malayalam (2013)
• Odia (2014)

The status of a classical language brings various benefits, including international awards for scholars, the establishment of Centers of Excellence, and the creation of professional chairs for classical language studies.

India's linguistic diversity is enshrined in its Constitution through the recognition of official languages and the acknowledgment of classical languages, which serve as cultural and historical treasures reflecting the richness of the country's heritage.