Jonah Patel
The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the country's official languages. The Constitution contains directives to protect the interests of linguistic minorities and promote the development of the Hindi language. The Eighth Schedule initially defined 14 languages in 1950, with more added through subsequent amendments. As of 2024, 22 languages are officially recognised, with demands for the inclusion of 38 more.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Languages | 22 |
| Year of Recognition | 1950 (14 languages), 1967 (15 languages), 1992 (18 languages), 2003 (22 languages) |
| Languages | 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 |
| Official Languages | Hindi and English |
| Classical Languages | A language must have early texts and a recorded history of 1500-2000 years, a body of ancient literature considered a valuable heritage, and an original literary tradition |
| Number of Classical Languages | 6 |
| Benefits of Inclusion | Cultural preservation, administrative recognition, increased resources, promotion of the language |
| Demands for Inclusion | 38 more languages |
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What You'll Learn
The 22 languages in the 8th Schedule
The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the official languages of the Republic of India. As of 2024, there are 22 languages in the 8th Schedule.
The Eighth Schedule was first defined in 1950, when it included 14 languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya (later changed to Odia), Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
Over the years, several amendments were made to the Eighth Schedule, adding more languages. In 1967, the 21st Amendment added Sindhi to the list. The 71st Amendment, enacted in 1992, added three more languages: Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali.
The most recent update to the Eighth Schedule was in 2003 with the 92nd Amendment, which added Bodo, Dogri, Santali, and Maithili, bringing the total number of languages to 22.
The inclusion of a language in the Eighth Schedule grants it official recognition, ensuring its use in government administration and education. It also allows for the allocation of funding and resources for the development and promotion of the language.
There are ongoing demands from various communities for the inclusion of even more languages in the Eighth Schedule. As of 2003, a committee has been established by the Government of India to study the possible inclusion of additional languages.
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Classical languages
The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the languages officially recognised by the Government of India. Classical languages are among those included in the Eighth Schedule.
The Indian government declared in 2004 that languages meeting specific strict criteria could be granted classical language status. The Ministry of Culture, along with the Linguistic Experts' Committee, established the criteria. The tentative criterion for the age of antiquity of a classical language was assumed to be at least 1,000 years of existence. The other criteria were:
- High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1,500-2,000 years.
- A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers.
- The literary tradition is original and not borrowed from another speech community.
- The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.
The recognition of classical languages is not merely honorary. It bestows upon them a special status and support for their preservation and promotion. Classical languages are seen as important repositories of ancient literature, scriptures, and cultural heritage.
Tamil was the first language to be recognised as a classical language of India in 2004. As of 2024, 11 languages have been recognised as classical languages of India:
- Tamil
- Telugu
- Kannada
- Malayalam
- Odia
- Sanskrit
- Marathi
- Prakrit
- Pali
- Bengali
- Assamese
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Official languages
The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the official languages of the Republic of India. As of 2024, there are 22 languages recognised under the schedule.
The Eighth Schedule was established to ensure equitable representation for the multi-ethnic and multilingual nation of India. The National Sahitya Akademi recognises the languages of the Schedule as literary languages by default. The Eighth Schedule has also played a role in deciding the medium of instruction in secondary schools.
The Constitution of India contains special directives to protect the interests of linguistic minorities and promote the development of the Hindi language. The directives include the right for any aggrieved person to submit a representation for the redress of any grievance in any of the languages used in the Union or the state in question. This means that a representation cannot be rejected on the basis that it is not written in an official language. Another directive states that every state and local authority should provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother tongue at the primary education stage for children belonging to linguistic minority groups.
The 22 languages currently recognised under the Eighth Schedule 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.
There are demands for the inclusion of 38 more languages in the Eighth Schedule. Communities advocating for the inclusion of additional languages argue that it would help preserve and promote their cultural heritage and linguistic identity.
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Administrative recognition
The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the languages that are officially recognised by the Government of India. As of 2024, there are 22 languages classified under the schedule. These include Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Maithili, Nepali, Odia (formerly Oriya), Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, and Urdu.
The inclusion of a language in the Eighth Schedule has implications for multilingual education initiatives. It encourages the teaching of a child's mother tongue alongside other languages at the school level, contributing to the preservation of regional languages and the promotion of multilingualism in India. This aspect of administrative recognition aligns with the country's efforts to protect its rich linguistic diversity.
Furthermore, the recognition of languages in the Eighth Schedule has implications for All-India level competitive examinations conducted for entrance into higher and technical education and employment. The languages included in the schedule are used in selected spheres of these examinations, reflecting the linguistic diversity of the country.
The process of including a language in the Eighth Schedule involves the establishment of a commission by the President, in accordance with Article 344 of the Indian Constitution. This commission is responsible for making recommendations to the President regarding the progressive use of the Hindi language, restrictions on the use of English, and other matters pertaining to official languages. The Official Languages Act, 1963, also plays a role in determining the languages used for official purposes, with provisions for the use of both Hindi and English.
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Protecting linguistic rights
India is a country with a rich linguistic heritage, boasting over 1,369 languages. However, many of these languages are at risk of disappearing. The Indian Constitution recognises 22 languages in its Eighth Schedule, which lists the languages officially recognised by the government. The Eighth Schedule has been amended several times to include more languages, and there are demands for even more to be added.
However, the Constitution also presents some challenges to linguistic rights. Article 351 directs the Union to promote the use of Hindi across India, which can marginalise speakers of other languages, especially when English is also promoted at the expense of local and regional languages.
To further protect linguistic rights, India could consider the following measures:
- Affirmative action: This could be a key mechanism for protecting minority languages, as suggested by P Avinash Reddy.
- Inclusion in the Eighth Schedule: Adding more languages to the Eighth Schedule would grant them official recognition and ensure their use in government administration and education.
- Funding and resources: Allocating resources for the development and promotion of minority languages can help preserve them.
- Cultural preservation: Initiatives that promote and preserve the cultural heritage associated with minority languages can help ensure their survival.
- Education: Promoting the use of minority languages in primary schools can help pass them on to future generations.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2024, there are 22 languages in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Inclusion under the 8th Schedule grants official recognition to a language, ensuring its use in government administration and education. It also allows for funding and resources to be allocated for the development and promotion of the language.
As per Article 343(1), the official language of the Union is Hindi in Devanagari script. The Official Languages Act, 1963, also allows for the continued use of English for official purposes.
The Official Languages Commission is responsible for making recommendations to the President on the progressive use of Hindi for official purposes, restrictions on the use of English, and the language to be used for purposes mentioned in Article 348.
Classical Languages are those with a recorded history of early texts/literature considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers. The literary tradition must be original and not borrowed from another speech community. As of 2016, six languages have been granted classical language status.
