Question : Status of Classical Language

(a) the details of the Indian languages which have been accorded the classical language status;

(b) whether the Government has implemented any schemes to provide financial assistance to various projects of classical language and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the details of the funds provided for each classical language during each of the last three years, language-wise;

(d) whether the Government has received any proposal regarding the classical language projects during the last three years; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereon?

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR CULTURE & TOURISM

(PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

(a) There are six Indian languages namely; Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu Kannada Malayalam, Odia which have been accorded Classical Language status.

(b)&(c) For Sanskrit language, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan (RSKS), New Delhi under Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry, has been established as the nodal authority for promoting the language.

For Classical Telugu and Classical Kannada, HRD Ministry has established Centres of Excellence for Studies in respective languages in Central Institute of Indian Languages (CllL), Mysore during 2011.
In respect of Classical Tamil Language, an autonomous organization namely, Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT), Chennai has been established at Chennai by HRD Ministry.

ln addition, University Grants Commission has approved a Centre for Classical Languages in Telugu in University of Hyderabad and a Centre for Classical Languages in Kannada in Central University of Karnataka.

Details of grants released/allocated by the Ministry of Human Resource Development to RSKS, CICT and CIIL which are working for the promotion of classical Languages, is as under :-
(In lakh)

No. Institute Language 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
1. Rashtirya Sanskrit Sansthan Sanskrit 19831.06 21437.99 23115
2. Central Institute of Classical Tamil Tamil 1059 465 770
3. Central Institute of Indian Languages Telugu 100 99 107
Kannada 100 99 107

(d)&(e) HRD Ministry is considering setting up of establishment of Centres of Excellence for Classical Odia and Classical Malayalam.
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