Polity Chapters

1. Evolution of Indian Constitution2. Constituent Assembly and Making of the Constitution3. Different Sources of the Indian Constitution4. Important Articles of the Constitution5. Important Amendments of the Constitution6. Some Special features of the Indian Constitution7. Federal and Unitary features of the Indian Union8. The Preamble9. Lapse of Paramountcy10. Integration and Merger of Indian States11. The Union and its Territories12. Reorganization of States13. Citizenship14. Fundamental Rights15. Directive Principles of State Policy16. Fundamental Duties17. Procedure of Amending the Constitution18. Executive of the Union19. The Parliament of India20. President of India21. Vice President22. Prime Minister23. Council of Ministers24. Lok Sabha25. Rajya Sabha26. Vidhan Sabha27. Vidhan Parishad28. Governor29. Chief Minister30. State Council of Ministers31. The Parliament of India32. NITI Aayog33. Executive of the States34. Special Position of J and K35. Panchayats36. Municipalities37. The Supreme Court38. The High Court39. Inter-State Council40. Finance Commission41. Planning Commission42. National Development Council43. National Integration Council44. Inter State Relations45. Emergency Provisions46. Public Service Commissions47. Election48. Delimitation Commission of India49. The Official Languages50. National Symbols51. Glossary of Constitutional Terms

The Official Languages of India

Introduction

India is a linguistically diverse country with hundreds of languages spoken across its states and regions. The Constitution of India provides for official languages at the Union and state levels to facilitate administration and communication.

Constitutional Provisions on Official Languages

  • Article 343: Declares Hindi in Devanagari script as the official language of the Union government.
  • Article 344: Provides for the establishment of a Commission and Committee for the progressive use of Hindi and measures for the language problem.
  • Article 345: Empowers states to adopt any language spoken in the state as their official language.
  • Article 346: Deals with official language for communication between the Union and states.
  • Article 347: Provides for special provisions regarding language spoken by a section of the population.
  • Article 348: Relates to the language to be used in the Supreme Court and High Courts.

Official Languages at the Union Level

The original Constitution (1950) specified Hindi in Devanagari script as the official language of the Union, and English was to continue for official purposes for 15 years (until 1965).

Due to opposition mainly from non-Hindi speaking states, especially Tamil Nadu, the Official Languages Act, 1963 was enacted to allow continued use of English along with Hindi for official purposes.

  • Hindi and English are currently the two official languages of the Union government.
  • English is widely used in Parliament, judiciary, and administration.

Official Languages at the State Level

Each state can choose its own official language(s) according to Article 345.

  • For example, Tamil in Tamil Nadu, Telugu in Andhra Pradesh, Kannada in Karnataka, Bengali in West Bengal, etc.
  • Some states have more than one official language to accommodate linguistic diversity.

Language Policy and Challenges

  • The three-language formula was introduced to promote Hindi, English, and regional languages.
  • There have been ongoing debates and controversies regarding the imposition of Hindi.
  • The Constitution promotes linguistic harmony and safeguards minority languages.
  • Scheduled Languages: The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution lists 22 recognized languages.

Languages in the Eighth Schedule

The Eighth Schedule recognizes 22 languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Kannada, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, and others.

This recognition helps promote these languages and allows their use in official functions and education.

Previous Year Questions

  • SSC CGL 2020: Which article of the Indian Constitution declares Hindi as the official language of the Union?
  • Article 343
  • RRB JE 2018: What is the purpose of the Official Languages Act, 1963?
  • To allow continued use of English along with Hindi for official purposes of the Union.
  • HSSC 2019: Which article empowers states to choose their own official language?
  • Article 345
  • UPSC 2021: How many languages are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution?
  • 22
  • SSC CHSL 2017: What is the three-language formula?
  • It promotes learning of Hindi, English, and the regional language in schools.
  • RRB ALP 2019: Which article deals with the use of language in the Supreme Court and High Courts?
  • Article 348
  • SSC GD 2020: Which language is written in the Devanagari script and is the official language of the Union?
  • Hindi
  • HSSC JE 2018: What was the main reason for opposition to Hindi as the sole official language?
  • Fear of domination by Hindi-speaking states and imposition on non-Hindi speakers.
  • SSC CGL 2018: Who supervises the implementation of official language policy in India?
  • The Department of Official Language under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • UPSC 2019: Name any two languages added recently to the Eighth Schedule.
  • Santhali and Sindhi
Did You Know? India does not have a national language, but Hindi and English are the official languages of the Union government.

Conclusion

The language policy of India reflects its rich diversity and commitment to inclusiveness. The Constitution balances the promotion of Hindi with protection for regional languages and the continued use of English, ensuring effective communication in a multilingual country.

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