Lok Sabha Question No. 978 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-22
Subject: Inclusion of Languages
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 978

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 ND NOVEMBER, 2016/AGRAHAYANA 1, 1938 (SAKA)

INCLUSION OF LANGUAGES

978. SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  the  names  of  languages  which  have  been  included  in  the  Eighth Schedule of the Constitution;

(b) the criteria adopted  by  the  Government  for  inclusion of  more languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution;

(c)  the  total  number  of  representations/requests  received  from  various NGOs/Organizations for inclusion of more  languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, language-wise including Bhojpuri; and

(d) the steps taken by the Government in this regard along with the time by which such languages are likely to be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution?

ANSWER

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

(a):    The following 22 languages are included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution:-

(1)  Assamese, (2) Bengali, (3) Bodo, (4) Dogri, (5) Gujarati, (6) Hindi,

.....2/

## L.S.US.Q.NO.978 FOR 22.11.2016

(7) Kannada, (8) Kashmiri, (9) Konkani, (10) Maithili, (11) Malayalam, (12) Manipuri, (13) Marathi, (14) Nepali, (15) Oriya, (16) Punjabi, (17) Sanskrit, (18) Santhali (19) Sindhi, (20) Tamil, (21) Telugu and (22) Urdu.

(b):      At  present  there  is  no  established  set  of  objective  criteria  for inclusion of languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.

(c):        At  present  there  are  demands for inclusion of 38 more languages including Bhojpuri in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.  These are:

(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) Kurukh, (23) Kurmali, (24) Lepcha, (25) Limbu, (26)  Mizo  (Lushai),  (27)  Magahi,  (28)  Mundari,  (29)  Nagpuri,              (30) Nicobarese, (31)  Pahari (Himachali),  (32)  Pali,   (33)  Rajasthani,

....3/

## L.S.US.Q.NO.978 FOR 22.11.2016

(34) Sambalpuri/Kosali, (35) Shaurseni (Prakrit), (36) Siraiki, (37) Tenyidi and (38) Tulu.

(d):    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  attempts, through the Pahwa (1996) and Sitakant Mohapatra (2003) Committees to evolve such fixed criteria have not borne fruit.

Since  at  present  there  is  no  established  set  of  objective  criteria  for inclusion of languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, no timeframe can be fixed for consideration of the demands for inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.

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