Isabella Carter
India's constitution, adopted in 1950, initially recognised 14 languages. However, as of 2025, 22 languages are now recognised under the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. There is no national language of India, but the constitution declared Hindi to be the official language, with English serving as an additional language for official purposes. The Official Languages Act of 1963, which came into effect in 1965, provided for the continued use of English alongside Hindi. The Official Language Resolution of 1968 further mandated the development and promotion of all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule.
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What You'll Learn
Hindi and English are the official languages
India's constitution, adopted in 1950, states that Hindi is the official language, with English serving as an additional official language for a period not exceeding 15 years. However, English is still used as an official language alongside Hindi today.
The Official Languages Act of 1963, which came into effect on 26 January 1965, made provision for the continued use of English in official communications. This was a compromise, as there were plans to make Hindi the sole official language, but this was met with resistance across the country.
The Official Languages Commission was set up to suggest steps to be taken to progressively promote the use of Hindi as the official language. The Indian constitution also provides that all proceedings in the Supreme Court and the High Courts shall be in English. However, in many high courts, there is an allowance for the optional use of Hindi with the consent of the president.
The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India lists the languages officially recognised by the Government of India. As of 2025, 22 languages have been classified as recognised languages under the Eighth Schedule, with various amendments being made over time to include more languages. These languages are: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Maithili, Nepali, Odia (previously Oriya), Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
The Government of India is obligated to take measures for the development of these languages, and candidates sitting for a public service examination are entitled to use any of these languages as a medium to answer the paper.
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There is no national language
India is a diverse country with a rich cultural heritage and a multitude of languages. The Indian Constitution, adopted in 1950, does not specify a national language. Instead, it recognises 22 languages under the Eighth Schedule, with the most recent additions in 2003. These languages are: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Maithili, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India lists the languages officially recognised by the Government of India. The list has evolved over time, with the original schedule in 1950 including 14 languages, and subsequent amendments adding more. The Government of India is obligated to promote the development of these languages and ensure they become effective means of communicating modern knowledge.
While Hindi is one of the official languages, it is not the national language of India. The Official Languages Act of 1963, which came into effect in 1965, established Hindi and English as the official languages for union government communications. This act also provided for the continued use of English in official communications alongside Hindi. The use of English was intended to be phased out over a 15-year period, but this did not occur, and English remains an official language in India today.
The choice of official languages in India has been a contentious issue. There has been resistance to the imposition of Hindi in some parts of the country, particularly in Tamil Nadu. Additionally, the script, numerals, and regional variations of Hindi have been subjects of debate. The Indian Constitution leaves each state free to adopt its own official language through its legislature, and several states have done so, selecting languages that are not included in the Eighth Schedule.
In summary, India has a multitude of recognised languages, and the concept of a single national language is not applicable in this diverse cultural context. The Indian Constitution and subsequent amendments ensure the representation and development of various languages, with Hindi and English serving as the official languages for union government communications.
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The constitution recognises 22 languages
The Indian Constitution, adopted in 1950, recognises 22 languages. The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India lists the languages officially recognised by the Government of India. The original Eighth Schedule in 1950 included 14 languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya or Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. The Official Languages Act of 1963, which came into effect on 26 January 1965, provided for the continued use of English alongside Hindi in official communications. The Official Language Resolution of 1968 further mandated the development and promotion of all the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule.
The 21st Amendment to the Constitution in 1967 added Sindhi to the Eighth Schedule. The 71st Amendment, enacted in 1992, added Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali, increasing the total to 18 languages. The 92nd Amendment in 2003 added four more languages: Bodo, Dogri, Santhali and Maithili, bringing the total number of recognised languages to 22.
The recognition of these 22 languages is significant. The Government of India is obligated to take measures for the development of these languages, ensuring they become effective means of communicating modern knowledge. Additionally, candidates sitting for public service examinations are entitled to use any of these languages to answer their papers. The Constitution also provides that every person submitting a petition to a government officer or authority has the right to do so in any of the 22 recognised languages.
It is worth noting that there is no national language of India. While Hindi is the official language, English is recognised as an additional official language, with plans to phase it out in favour of Hindi. However, this has faced resistance in some parts of the country.
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English was to be phased out in 15 years
The Indian Constitution, which was adopted in 1950, states that English would be phased out in favour of Hindi over a period of 15 years. However, it also gave Parliament the power to provide for the continued use of English even after that period. This was met with resistance in many parts of the country, especially in Tamil Nadu, which had a history of opposing the imposition of the Hindi language.
The Official Languages Act of 1963, which came into effect on 26 January 1965, made provision for the continuation of English as an official language alongside Hindi. The act states that the authoritative text of central acts, rules, and regulations are to be published in Hindi as well as in the official gazette by the President of India. However, the constitution permits a person who is unable to express themselves in either Hindi or English to address the House in their mother tongue with the permission of the Speaker of the relevant House.
English is also an official language in seven states and seven union territories of India and is the additional official language in seven other states and one union territory. It is the sole official language of the Judiciary of India, unless the state governor or legislature mandates the use of a regional language or if the President of India has given approval for the use of regional languages in courts.
Before the dissolution of the British Empire in India, the term "Indian English" broadly referred to South Asian English or British Indian English. After independence in 1947, English remained an official language in the new Dominion of India and later the Republic. Today, English and Hindi continue to be used in combination with other official languages at the central level and in some states.
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Plans to make Hindi the sole official language were met with resistance
India is a linguistically diverse country with a rich history of languages. The Indian Constitution, adopted in 1950, declared Hindi in Devanagari script as the official language of the Union, with English to be phased out in 15 years. However, plans to make Hindi the sole official language faced resistance from various regions, particularly Tamil Nadu, which had a long history of opposing the imposition of Hindi. This resistance led to the enactment of the Official Languages Act in 1963, which allowed for the continued use of English alongside Hindi for official purposes.
The resistance to Hindi as the sole official language in India has deep roots, especially in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. The opposition in Tamil Nadu dates back to 1937 when the Justice Party resisted the Congress-led Madras Government's decision to make Hindi compulsory in secondary and middle schools. This resistance continued even after India's independence, as Tamil Nadu and other non-Hindi speaking states feared the loss of their linguistic and cultural identities.
The Dravidian-speaking states, in particular, had languages that were not related to Hindi, and they worried about the potential dominance of Hindi-speaking states in politics and administration. The prospect of English being phased out as per the 15-year timeline caused alarm in these regions, leading to widespread resistance. The resistance was not limited to Tamil Nadu, as other states with diverse linguistic backgrounds also expressed concern about the imposition of Hindi.
The resistance to Hindi as the sole official language was not just about language; it was also about cultural identity, political power, and equal representation. The non-Hindi speaking states felt that imposing Hindi would marginalize their languages and cultures, and they wanted their languages to be respected and recognized officially. Additionally, there were practical concerns about the lack of proficiency in Hindi among government officials and the potential disruption to administration and communication between states.
To address these concerns and find a compromise, the Official Languages Act of 1963 was passed. This Act allowed for the continued use of English for official purposes alongside Hindi, even beyond the initial 15-year period. The Act also established the Official Languages Commission, which was tasked with promoting the use of Hindi and enriching it with contributions from other Indian languages.
The resistance to Hindi as the sole official language in India ultimately led to a more inclusive and multilingual approach to language policy. The Official Languages Act and subsequent amendments ensured that multiple languages, including English, Hindi, and various regional languages, were recognized and accommodated in official communications, court proceedings, and educational contexts. This resistance played a pivotal role in shaping India's linguistic landscape, promoting linguistic diversity, and ensuring the representation of various linguistic communities within the country.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 22 languages recognised under the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
The 22 languages recognised under the Eighth Schedule are: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Maithili, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
The official languages of India are Hindi and English. English is only kept as an additional official language for a period not exceeding 15 years.
Classical languages are distinct from modern languages and have a recorded history of 1500-2000 years. They have a body of ancient literature that is considered a valuable heritage. Six languages have been granted classical status in India.
