What is Language Policy in India?
Historical Background
Key Points
10 points- 1.
Part XVII of the Constitution (Articles 343 to 351) deals with Official Language.
- 2.
Article 343(1) declares Hindi in Devanagari script as the Official Language of the Union.
- 3.
Article 343(2) initially allowed English to continue for 15 years from the commencement of the Constitution.
- 4.
Article 343(3) empowered Parliament to provide for the continued use of English even after 1965.
- 5.
The Official Languages Act 1963 provided for the continued use of English for official purposes of the Union, even after 1965.
- 6.
Article 344 provides for a Commission and Committee of Parliament on Official Language.
- 7.
Article 345 allows states to adopt any one or more languages in use in the State or Hindi as the official language for that State.
- 8.
Article 348 specifies English as the language for proceedings in the Supreme Court and High Courts, and for authoritative texts of bills, acts, etc., unless Parliament provides otherwise.
- 9.
The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution lists 22 official languages, recognizing their importance and promoting their development.
- 10.
The Three-Language Formula, recommended by the Kothari Commission (1964-66), promotes the study of Hindi, English, and a regional language in schools.
Visual Insights
Understanding Language Policy in India
This mind map outlines the key aspects of language policy in India, including constitutional provisions and challenges.
Language Policy in India
- ●Constitutional Provisions
- ●Three-Language Formula
- ●Challenges
- ●Institutions
Evolution of Language Policy in India
This timeline highlights key events in the evolution of language policy in India.
Language policy in India has been shaped by the need to balance national unity with linguistic diversity.
- 1950Constitution of India adopted, recognizing Hindi as the official language
- 1963Official Languages Act enacted, allowing for the continued use of English
- 1968Adoption of the Three-Language Formula
- 1991Economic liberalization increases the importance of English
- 2005National Translation Mission established
- 2020National Education Policy (NEP) emphasizes mother tongue-based education
- 2026Ongoing debates on promoting Hindi and preserving regional languages
Recent Developments
5 developmentsThe National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes multilingualism, promoting mother tongue/local language as the medium of instruction up to at least Grade 5, while also stressing the importance of English and other Indian languages.
Ongoing debates about the dominance of English in higher education and competitive examinations.
Efforts to promote and preserve endangered regional languages.
The role of language in digital governance and access to information.
Political discourse often involves the promotion of Hindi or regional languages, sometimes leading to linguistic tensions.