Question : Inclusion of Languages

(a) the total number of languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution after 1950, language-wise;

(b) whether the Government has received proposals for inclusion of more languages in the said Schedule;

(c) if so, the details thereof, language-wise along with the criteria for inclusion of languages in the Constitution;

(d) whether the Government has received complaints with regard to non-compliance of criteria stipulated for the inclusion of languages in the Constitution, if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government in this regard;

(e) the details of the benefits accruing to a language after inclusion in the Constitution; and

(f) the manner in which the Government differentiates between ‘dialect’ and a ‘new’ language prior to giving it the status of language?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a): There are 22 languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. These are as under:
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(1) Assamese, (2) Bengali, (3) Gujarati, (4) Hindi, (5) Kannada, (6) Kashmiri, (7) Konkani, (8) Malayalam, (9) Manipuri, (10) Marathi, (11) Nepali, (12) Odia, (13) Punjabi, (14) Sanskrit, (15) Sindhi, (16) Tamil, (17) Telugu, (18) Urdu (19) Bodo, (20) Santhali, (21) Maithili and (22) Dogri.

(b to d): At present requests have been received for inclusion of following 38 more languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution:-

(1) Angika, (2) Banjara, (3) Bazika, (4) Bhojpuri, (5) Bhoti, (6) Bhotia, (7) Bundelkhandi (8) Chhattisgarhi, (9) Dhatki, (10) English, (11) Garhwali (Pahari), (12) Gondi, (13) Gujjar/Gujjari (14) Ho, (15) Kachachhi, (16) Kamtapuri, (17) Karbi, (18) Khasi, (19) Kodava (Coorg), (20) Kok Barak, (21) Kumaoni (Pahari), (22) Kurak, (23) Kurmali, (24) Lepcha, (25) Limbu, (26) Mizo (Lushai), (27) Magahi, (28) Mundari, (29) Nagpuri, (30) Nicobarese, (31) Pahari (Himachali), (32) Pali, (33) Rajasthani, (34) Sambalpuri/Kosali, (35) Shaurseni (Prakrit), (36) Siraiki, (37) Tenyidi and (38) Tulu.

As the evolution of dialects and languages is dynamic, influenced by socio-eco-political developments, it is difficult to fix any criterion for languages, whether to distinguish them from dialects, or for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. Thus, both the earlier attempts, through the Pahwa (1996) and Sitakant Mohapatra (2003) Committees to evolve such fixed criteria have not borne fruit.
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(e) The benefits flow from the Official Language Resolution, 1968, that “all the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution and English shall be permitted as alternative media for the All India and higher Central Services examinations after ascertaining the views of the Union Public Service Commission”. In addition, related Sahitya Akademies may institute awards, special promotion programmes etc. at their discretion.

(f) “Language” is a socio-cultural-geographical construct in the sense that all languages begin as dialects/varieties/mother tongues but due to various socio-economic-political reasons one of the varieties of any language develops into or acquires the status of a standard variety; “language” may thus be defined as the standard variety, so that mother tongue of those speaking related varieties may be deemed to be the standard variety. There are no linguistic criteria for differentiating between a language and a dialect. Socially, a dialect may gradually evolve into a language and acquire the status of a language.



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