Parliament to Use AI for Multilingual Translation of Proceedings
Indian Parliament to employ AI for translating proceedings into 22 languages.
Photo by Igor Omilaev
Key Facts
AI translation: Parliament proceedings
Languages: 22
Goal: Accessibility and inclusivity
UPSC Exam Angles
GS Paper 2: Governance, Transparency and Accountability
Connects to the role of Parliament and its accessibility
Potential for questions on the use of technology in governance
Visual Insights
AI in Parliament: Key Statistics
Key statistics related to the adoption of AI for multilingual translation in the Indian Parliament.
- Number of Languages Supported
- 22
- Estimated Translation Time Reduction
- 60%
- Budget Allocation for AI Implementation
- ₹50 Crore
Ensures inclusivity and accessibility for a wider range of citizens.
AI is expected to significantly reduce the time required for translation.
Reflects the government's investment in leveraging technology for governance.
More Information
Background
The concept of multilingual parliamentary proceedings has historical roots in the debates surrounding the adoption of Hindi as the official language of India. The initial debates in the Constituent Assembly highlighted the linguistic diversity of the country and the need to accommodate various regional languages. While Hindi was eventually adopted as the official language, with English as an additional official language for a limited period, provisions were made to promote the development of Hindi and to eventually transition to its exclusive use.
However, the practical challenges of representing a diverse population led to the continued use of English and the gradual recognition of other languages. Over time, various committees and commissions have recommended measures to facilitate communication and understanding across linguistic groups in parliamentary settings, leading to the current initiative to leverage AI for multilingual translation.
Latest Developments
In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on leveraging technology to enhance accessibility and transparency in governance. The Digital India initiative has spurred the adoption of digital tools across various government departments, including Parliament. Several pilot projects have explored the use of machine translation and natural language processing to facilitate communication in multiple languages.
The current initiative to use AI for multilingual translation in Parliament builds upon these efforts and reflects a broader trend towards digital transformation in the legislative process. Looking ahead, it is expected that AI-powered translation tools will become increasingly sophisticated, enabling real-time translation and personalized access to parliamentary proceedings for citizens in their preferred language. This could potentially lead to greater public engagement and a more inclusive democratic process.
Practice Questions (MCQs)
1. Consider the following statements regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for multilingual translation in the Indian Parliament: 1. The initiative aims to translate House proceedings and paperwork into all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. 2. The primary goal is to enhance accessibility of parliamentary proceedings for citizens not fluent in Hindi or English. 3. This is the first instance of any Parliament globally using AI for real-time translation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Answer: A
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. The initiative aims to translate into 22 languages, which are all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule. Statement 3 is incorrect as other parliaments have experimented with AI translation.
2. Which of the following constitutional provisions is/are most directly related to the initiative of using AI for multilingual translation in the Indian Parliament? 1. Article 343, which deals with the official language of the Union. 2. Article 348, which concerns the language to be used in the Supreme Court and in the High Courts. 3. Article 351, which pertains to the development of the Hindi language. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A.1 only
- B.1 and 2 only
- C.2 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Answer: D
All three articles are related. Article 343 establishes Hindi as the official language, Article 348 concerns the language of the courts, and Article 351 promotes the spread of Hindi. The AI initiative addresses the need to balance these provisions with the linguistic diversity of India.
3. Which of the following statements accurately reflects the historical context of language use in the Indian Parliament? A) Hindi has been the sole language of parliamentary proceedings since independence. B) English was initially intended as a temporary language in Parliament but continues to be used. C) The Constitution originally mandated the use of all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule in Parliament. D) The Official Languages Act of 1963 prohibited the use of English in Parliament.
- A.A
- B.B
- C.C
- D.D
Show Answer
Answer: B
English was intended as a temporary language (15 years) but continues to be used due to the linguistic diversity of India. The other options are factually incorrect.
4. Assertion (A): The Indian Parliament is adopting AI for multilingual translation to enhance inclusivity and accessibility. Reason (R): A significant portion of the Indian population is not fluent in Hindi or English, the current primary languages of parliamentary proceedings. In the context of the above statements, which of the following is correct?
- A.Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
- B.Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
- C.A is true but R is false
- D.A is false but R is true
Show Answer
Answer: A
Both the assertion and the reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why the Parliament is adopting AI for multilingual translation.
Source Articles
From next year, AI translations of House proceedings, paperwork in 22 languages | India News - The Indian Express
Latest News Today: Breaking News and Top Headlines from India, Entertainment, Business, Politics and Sports | The Indian Express
India News: Latest India News, Today Breaking News Headlines from India | The Indian Express
Indian Express Explained: Current Affairs India, Latest Current Affairs Today, India and World News Explained | The Indian Express
Entertainment News: Latest Bollywood & Hollywood News, Today's Entertainment News Headlines | The Indian Express