Official Language
The Official Language provisions of the Indian Constitution seek to balance national integration, administrative efficiency and India’s linguistic diversity. While Hindi in the Devanagari script has been declared the Official Language of the Union, the Constitution also provides for the continued use of English, protection of regional languages, promotion of Hindi, and safeguards for linguistic minorities. The objective is to evolve a common official language without undermining India’s multilingual character.
Constitutional Provisions
The provisions relating to Official Language are contained in Part XVII (Articles 343–351) of the Constitution.
Part XVII is divided into four chapters:
- Chapter I – Language of the Union (Articles 343–344)
- Chapter II – Regional Languages (Articles 345–347)
- Chapter III – Language of the Supreme Court, High Courts and Legislative Texts (Articles 348–349)
- Chapter IV – Special Directives (Articles 350–351)
Language of the Union
- Official Language(Article 343):Hindi in the Devanagari script is the Official Language of the Union.The form of numerals shall be the international form of Indian numerals.
- The Constitution provided that English would continue for all official purposes of the Union for 15 years from the commencement of the Constitution (i.e., till 26 January 1965).
- Parliament’s Power:After the period of 15 years, Parliament is empowered to provide for the use of-
- the English language, or
- the Devnagari form of numerals
- Official Language Commission (Article 344): The President shall constitute an Official Language Commission at the end of 5 years, and again at the end of 10 years from the commencement of the Constitution, to recommend:
- Progressive use of Hindi for the official purposes of the Union
- Restrictions on the use of English.
- Language to be used for official purposes of the Union.
- Language to be used for the purposes specified under Article 348 (Supreme Court, High Courts and authoritative texts of laws).
- Form of numerals to be used for specified official purposes of the Union.
- Any other matter relating to:
- The Official Language of the Union.
- Communication between the Union and States.
- Communication between one State and another.
Official Language Commission (Article 344) |
Composition - Chairperson.
- Members representing the different languages specified in the Eighth Schedule, appointed by the President.
Guiding Principles While making its recommendations, the Commission shall have due regard to: - Industrial, cultural and scientific advancement of India.
- Just claims and interests of persons belonging to non-Hindi-speaking areas, particularly in relation to public services.
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First Official Language Commission |
- In 1955, the President constituted the first Official Language Commission under the chairmanship of B. G. Kher, as provided under Article 344.
- The Commission submitted its report in 1956.
- The report was examined by the Committee of Parliament on Official Language, constituted in 1957 under the chairmanship of Govind Ballabh Pant.
- Although Article 344 envisaged the appointment of another Official Language Commission after 10 years from the commencement of the Constitution (i.e., in 1960), no such Commission was constituted thereafter.
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- Committee of Parliament on Official Language (Article 344): A Committee of Parliament shall be constituted to examine the recommendations of the Official Language Commission.
- Composition
- 30 Members
- 20 Members of the Lok Sabha.
- 10 Members of the Rajya Sabha.
- Election:Members are elected by their respective Houses through the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (STV).
- Function
- Examines the recommendations of the Official Language Commission.
- Reports its opinion to the President.
Official Languages Act, 1963
The Official Languages Act, 1963 was enacted to provide for the continued use of English, along with Hindi, for the official purposes of the Union beyond 26 January 1965.
Key Provisions
- Continued use of English: English shall continue to be used, along with Hindi, for all official purposes of the Union, even after 1965.
- Parliamentary proceedings: English shall continue to be used for the transaction of business in Parliament.
- No time limit: The Act permits the continued use of English without any time limit.
- 1967 Amendment: The Act was amended in 1967 to make the use of English, in addition to Hindi, compulsory in certain specified cases, particularly to safeguard the interests of non-Hindi-speaking States.
Regional Languages
The Constitution does not prescribe the official language of the States. Instead, it empowers each State to decide its own official language.
Official Language of States (Article 345)
- The State Legislature may adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State, or Hindi,
- as the Official Language of the State.
- Until then, English is to continue as the official language of that state.
- The choice of the State is not restricted to the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule.
Language for Communication (Article 346)
- The Official Language of the Union (English) shall be used for communication:
- Between the Union and the States; and
- Between one State and another.
- However, two or more States may agree to use Hindi for communication between themselves.
Official Languages Act, 1963
- Official Languages Act, 1963 lays down that:
- communication between the Union and non-Hindi-speaking States shall be in English.
- where communication between a Hindi-speaking State and a non-Hindi-speaking State is in Hindi, it must be accompanied by an English translation.
Recognition of a Language (Article 347)
- If the President (on a demand being made) is satisfied that a substantial proportion of the population of a State desire the use of any language spoken by them to be recognized by that state, then he/she may direct that such language shall also be officially recognized throughout that State.
- This provision seeks to protect the linguistic interests of minorities.
Language of the Supreme Court, High Courts and Legislative Texts
Language of the Supreme Court and High Courts (Article 348)
Unless Parliament provides otherwise:
- All proceedings in the Supreme Court and High Courts shall be conducted in English.
- The authoritative texts of all Bills, Acts, Ordinances, Orders, Rules, Regulations and Bye-laws of the Union and the States shall be in English.
Use of Hindi or State Language in High Courts
- The Governor, with the previous consent of the President, may authorise the use of Hindi or any other official language of the State in the proceedings of the High Court.
- However, judgments, decrees and orders of the High Court shall continue to be in English, unless Parliament provides otherwise.
State Legislation
- A State Legislature may prescribe the use of any language (other than English) for its Bills, Acts, Ordinances, Orders, Rules, Regulations and Bye-laws.
- However, an English translation must also be published.
Official Languages Act, 1963
The Act provides that:
- The Hindi translations of Central Acts, Ordinances, Orders, Rules, Regulations and Bye-laws, published under the authority of the President, shall be deemed to be authoritative texts.
- Every Bill introduced in Parliament shall be accompanied by a Hindi translation.
- In specified cases, State Acts and Ordinances shall also have a Hindi translation.
- The Governor, with the previous consent of the President, may authorise the use of Hindi or the official language of the State for judgments, decrees and orders of the High Court, provided they are accompanied by an English translation.
- No provision has been made for the use of Hindi in the Supreme Court; therefore, proceedings before the Supreme Court continue to be conducted in English.
Authorised Translations (Central Laws) Act, 1973
- A translation of any Central Act, Ordinance, Order, Rule, Regulation or Bye-law into any Eighth Schedule language (other than Hindi), published under the authority of the President in the Official Gazette, shall be deemed to be the authoritative text in that language.
Special Directives (Articles 350–351)
The Constitution contains special directives to protect the interests of linguistic minorities and promote the development of Hindi.
Protection of Linguistic Minorities
Right to Submit Representation (Article 350)
- Every person has the right to submit a representation for the redress of any grievance to any officer or authority of the Union or a State in any language used in the Union or the State, as the case may be.
- A representation cannot be rejected merely because it is not in the official language.
Mother Tongue Instruction (Article 350A)
- Every State and local authority shall endeavour to provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage of education for children belonging to linguistic minority groups.
- The President can issue directions to any State for securing such facilities.
Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities (Article 350B)
- The President appoints a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities.
- The Special Officer investigates matters relating to the constitutional safeguards for linguistic minorities.
- The Officer submits reports to the President.
- The President places these reports before each House of Parliament and forwards them to the concerned State Governments.
Promotion of Hindi (Article 351)
The Constitution under Article 351 imposes a duty on the Union to promote the spread and development of Hindi so that it may serve as the lingua franca of India’s composite culture.
To achieve this, the Union shall:
- Promote the spread of the Hindi language.
- Develop Hindi as a medium of expression for all elements of India’s composite culture.
- Enrich Hindi by assimilating the forms, style and expressions of Hindustani and the languages specified in the Eighth Schedule.
- Draw its vocabulary primarily from Sanskrit and secondarily from other Indian languages.
Article 351 |
Directive for development of the Hindi language - It shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language, to develop it so that it may serve as a medium of expression for all the elements of the composite culture of India and to secure its enrichment by assimilating without interfering with its genius, the forms, style and expressions used in Hindustani and in the other languages of India specified in the Eighth Schedule, and by drawing, wherever necessary or desirable, for its vocabulary, primarily on Sanskrit and secondarily on other languages.
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Eighth Schedule |
At present, the Eighth Schedule contains 22 languages (originally 14). Languages in the Eighth Schedule - Assamese
- Bengali
- Bodo
- Dogri
- Gujarati
- Hindi
- Kannada
- Kashmiri
- Konkani
- Maithili
- Malayalam
- Manipuri
- Marathi
- Nepali
- Odia
- Punjabi
- Sanskrit
- Santhali
- Sindhi
- Tamil
- Telugu
- Urdu
Constitutional Amendments - 21st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1967 – Added Sindhi.
- 71st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 – Added Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali.
- 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003 – Added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali.
Significance of the Eighth Schedule The inclusion of a language in the Eighth Schedule serves two constitutional objectives: - Representation in the Official Language Commission constituted under Article 344.
- Contribution to the enrichment and development of the Hindi language by incorporating the forms, style and expressions of these languages.
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Classical Language
In 2004, the Government of India, for the first time, created a new category of languages known as Classical Languages.
The Classical Language status is granted by the Government of India to languages possessing exceptional antiquity, a rich literary tradition, and significant historical and cultural heritage. It aims to preserve, promote and encourage research into India’s ancient linguistic traditions.
Criteria for Grant of Classical Language Status
The Government of India, through the Ministry of Culture and in consultation with linguistic and historical experts, has established criteria for designating a language as a Classical Language
A language must satisfy the following criteria:
- High antiquity of its early texts or recorded history, spanning a period of 1,500-2,000 years.
- A body of ancient literature or texts that is considered heritage by generations of speakers.
- Knowledge texts, especially prose texts, in addition to poetry, epigraphical and inscriptional evidence.
- The Classical Language and its literature may be distinct from its current form or show discontinuity with later forms derived from the original
Evolution of the Criteria for Classical Language Status |
2004 Criteria (When the Classical Language category was introduced) - High antiquity of early texts or recorded history over 1,000 years.
- A body of ancient literature/texts regarded as a valuable heritage by generations of speakers.
- The literary tradition must be original and not borrowed from another speech community.
2005 Revision (Based on the recommendations of the Linguistic Expert Committee under Sahitya Akademi) The criteria were revised in November 2005 as follows, and Sanskrit was declared a Classical Language: - High antiquity of early texts or recorded history over 1,500–2,000 years (replacing the earlier 1,000-year criterion).
- A body of ancient literature/texts regarded as a valuable heritage by generations of speakers.
- The literary tradition must be original and not borrowed from another speech community.
- The classical language and its literature should be distinct from its modern form, and there may be discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or offshoots.
2024 Revision (Based on the recommendations of the Linguistic Expert Committee) - High antiquity of early texts or recorded history over 1,500–2,000 years (unchanged).
- A body of ancient literature/texts regarded as a heritage by generations of speakers.
- Knowledge texts (especially prose), along with poetry, epigraphical and inscriptional evidence.
- The classical language and its literature may be distinct from the current form or may show discontinuity with later forms or offshoots.
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Classical Languages of India
S. No. | Classical Language | Year Granted |
1 | Tamil | 2004 |
2 | Sanskrit | 2005 |
3 | Kannada | 2008 |
4 | Telugu | 2008 |
5 | Malayalam | 2013 |
6 | Odia | 2014 |
7 | Marathi | 2024 |
8 | Pali | 2024 |
9 | Prakrit | 2024 |
10 | Assamese | 2024 |
11 | Bengali | 2024 |
Benefits of Classical Language Status
A language declared as a Classical Language is entitled to the following benefits:
- International Awards: Two major annual international awards for scholars of eminence in the concerned language.
- Centre of Excellence: A ‘Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages’ can be set up.
- Professional Chairs in Universities:The University Grants Commission can be requested to create, to start with at least in Central Universities, a certain number of professional chairs for classical languages, for scholars of eminence in the concerned language
UPSC Prelims Facts |
- Classical Language status is granted by the Union Government (Ministry of Culture).
- Inclusion in the Eighth Schedule and Classical Language status are independent recognitions—one does not automatically confer the other.
- Bengali, Assamese, Marathi, Pali and Prakrit were granted Classical Language status in October 2024, increasing the total number of Classical Languages to 11.
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Committee of Parliament on Official Language
The Official Languages Act, 1963 provides for the constitution of a Committee of Parliament on Official Language to review the progress made in the use of Hindi for the official purposes of the Union.
Constitution
Constituted in January 1976, as required under the Official Languages Act, 1963, after the expiry of 10 years from the commencement of the Act (26 January 1965).
Composition
- Consists of 30 Members of Parliament:
- 20 members from the Lok Sabha
- 10 members from the Rajya Sabha
- The Chairperson is elected by the members of the Committee.
- By convention, the Union Home Minister has usually been elected as the Chairperson.
Functions
- Reviews the progress in the use of Hindi for the official purposes of the Union.
- Submits a report with recommendations to the President.
- The President lays the report before both Houses of Parliament and forwards it to all State Governments.
- After considering the report and the views of the State Governments, the President may issue appropriate directions.
Secretariat
- The Committee is assisted by a Secretariat headed by the Secretary of the Committee.
- For administrative purposes, the Secretariat functions under the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs.
India’s Official Language framework embodies the constitutional vision of unity in diversity. While promoting Hindi as the Official Language of the Union, the Constitution simultaneously safeguards the continued use of English, protects regional languages, and secures the linguistic rights of minorities. Through provisions relating to the Official Language Commission, Eighth Schedule, Classical Languages and special safeguards for linguistic minorities, the Constitution seeks to balance national integration with India’s rich multilingual heritage.
FAQs
1.Which Part of the Constitution deals with Official Language?
Part XVII (Articles 343–351).
2.What is the Official Language of the Union?
Hindi in the Devanagari script (Article 343).
3.Is English an official language of India?
Yes. English continues to be used for official purposes under the Official Languages Act, 1963.
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