Jonah Patel
India's linguistic diversity is reflected in its constitution, which recognises 22 languages in its Eighth Schedule as of 2024. The Eighth Schedule lists the languages officially recognised by the Government of India, with the constitution containing directives to protect the interests of linguistic minorities and promote the development of the Hindi language. The constitution does not specify an official language for states to use, allowing each state to adopt a language through its legislature. While Hindi is the official language of the union, English is also used for official purposes as a subsidiary official language.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Languages in the Indian Constitution | 22 |
| First Recognized in | 1950 |
| Number of Languages Recognized in 1950 | 14 |
| Number of Languages Added in 1967 | 1 |
| Language Added in 1967 | Sindhi |
| Number of Languages Added in 1992 | 3 |
| Languages Added in 1992 | Konkani, Manipuri, Nepali |
| Number of Languages Added in 2003 | 4 |
| Languages Added in 2003 | Bodo, Dogri, Santhali, Maithili |
| Number of Languages with Legal Status in India | 270 |
| Number of Languages Demanded for Inclusion | 38 |
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Languages recognised by the Indian Constitution
The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the country's official languages. As of 2024, 22 languages have been recognised under the schedule. However, there is no national language of India.
The Eighth Schedule originally included 14 languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya (now Odia), Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
In 1967, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution 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 Bodo, Dogri, Santali, and Maithili, bringing the total number of recognised languages to 22.
The Indian Constitution, adopted in 1950, declared Hindi in Devanagari script to be the official language of the union. It also stated that English would serve as an additional official language for a period not exceeding 15 years. However, due to resistance to the exclusive use of Hindi and concerns about the loss of English, the Official Languages Act of 1963 maintained the use of English for official purposes alongside Hindi.
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The history of the Eighth Schedule
The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the official languages of the Republic of India. It is part of the Indian government's efforts to protect the country's immense linguistic diversity.
The Eighth Schedule initially included 14 languages in 1950: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya or Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. It is important to note that English was not one of the original languages in the Eighth Schedule and is not currently included.
Over time, the Eighth Schedule has expanded through various constitutional amendments. In 1967, the 21st Amendment added Sindhi as the 15th language. The 71st Amendment, enacted in 1992, introduced three more languages: Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali. The 92nd Amendment in 2003 added Bodo, Dogri, Santhali, and Maithili, bringing the total to 22 official languages.
The recognition of languages under the Eighth Schedule carries significant implications. The National Sahitya Akademi automatically recognizes the languages of the Schedule as literary languages. Additionally, the Eighth Schedule plays a crucial role in determining the medium of instruction in secondary schools. It also influences the languages used in All-India level competitive examinations for entrance into higher and technical education and employment.
The Indian Constitution contains 12 Schedules in total, each addressing specific aspects of the country's governance and cultural preservation. The Eighth Schedule, alongside other provisions, reflects India's commitment to promoting and protecting its diverse linguistic heritage.
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The process of adding languages to the Eighth Schedule
The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the official languages of the Republic of India. The inclusion of a language in the Eighth Schedule is a recognition of its cultural significance. There are 22 languages currently recognised under the Eighth Schedule, with the latest additions being Bodo, Dogri, Santhali, and Maithili, added in 2003.
The committee will also assess the language against the criteria for inclusion. One of the key criteria is the antiquity of its early texts and recorded history, which should span a period of 1500-2000 years. The language should also have a body of ancient literature or texts that are considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers. Additionally, the literary tradition should be original and not borrowed from another speech community.
If a language is added to the Eighth Schedule, it gains official recognition, ensuring its use in government administration and education. It also becomes eligible for funding and resources allocated for its development and promotion. However, recognising too many languages can also pose challenges, such as complicating governance, translation, and communication. Therefore, the committee must carefully consider the potential benefits and challenges of including a new language in the Eighth Schedule.
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Classical languages recognised by the Ministry of Culture
The Indian Constitution's Eighth Schedule lists the country's officially recognised languages. As of 2024, 22 languages are included in the schedule.
The Ministry of Culture is responsible for granting classical language status to languages that meet specific criteria. Classical languages are characterised by their antiquity, rich literary heritage, historical influence, linguistic distinctiveness, and active cultural practice. The recognition of a classical language is intended to honour and preserve its cultural and linguistic heritage.
The following paragraphs provide information on the classical languages recognised by the Ministry of Culture:
Tamil was the first language to be recognised as a classical language of India in 2004. It is known as Śāstrīya Bhāṣā in Hindi and Cemmoḻi in the Tamil language. Tamil has a rich literary tradition and is considered the parental source for several languages belonging to the Indo-European and Dravidian language families.
Sanskrit gained classical status in 2005. It is also regarded as a parental source for numerous languages from the Indo-European and Dravidian families.
Kannada and Telugu were recognised in 2008, followed by Malayalam in 2013, and Odia in 2014. These languages have a long history and are valued by their speakers.
In October 2024, the Linguistic Expert Committee approved the addition of five more languages to the list of classical languages: Marathi, Prakrit, Pali, Bengali, and Assamese. This decision was made after dropping the criterion of an "original literary tradition," as it was challenging to prove or disprove due to the borrowing and recreation inherent in ancient languages.
Maithili, an Eastern Indo-Aryan language with a rich literary heritage, has been recognised by the Sahitya Akademi but is yet to receive classical status from the Government of India. Meitei, or Manipuri, a Sino-Tibetan language with a long literary tradition, has also been recognised by the Sahitya Akademi.
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The use of languages in Indian states
India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, with 121 languages and 270 mother tongues. The Indian Constitution, in 1950, declared Hindi in Devanagari script to be the official language of the union. The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution lists the languages officially recognised by the Government of India. As of 2024, 22 languages have been classified under the schedule. However, the Indian Constitution does not specify the official languages to be used by the states for official functions, and each state can adopt any language used in its territory as its official language.
The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution defined 14 languages in 1950: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya (later changed to Odia), Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. In 1967, the 21st Amendment added Sindhi to the Eighth Schedule. The 71st Amendment, enacted in 1992, added three more languages: Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali. In 2003, the 92nd Amendment added four more languages: Bodo, Dogri, Santhali, and Maithili, bringing the total number of languages to 22.
States in India can choose their official language(s) through legislation. For example, Kokborok is the official language of Tripura, and Mizo is the official language of Mizoram. Within departments, communications must be in Hindi if the offices are in Hindi-speaking states; otherwise, they can be in English or Hindi, depending on the proportion of staff with a working knowledge of Hindi. Every person submitting a petition to a government authority has the right to submit it in any language used in India.
There are demands for the inclusion of 38 more languages in the Eighth Schedule, with communities arguing that inclusion would help preserve and promote their cultural heritage and linguistic identity. However, recognising too many languages could also complicate governance, translation, and communication.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 22 languages scheduled in the Indian Constitution.
The languages scheduled in the Indian Constitution are: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Maithili, Nepali, Odia (formerly Oriya), Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the official languages of the Republic of India.
The Eighth Schedule defines the official languages of India and outlines the government's commitment to promoting the use of Hindi. It also ensures that individuals can submit petitions to government authorities in any language used in India.
