Lok Sabha Question No. 2233 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-15
Subject: Inclusion of Languages in Eighth Schedule
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Bhagirath Chaudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2233

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 15 th  MARCH, 2022/PHALGUNA 24,1943 (SAKA)

INCLUSION OF LANGUAGES IN EIGHTH SCHEDULE

2233.  SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  name  of  the  languages  recognised  in  the  Eighth  Schedule  to  the Constitution of India;
- (b)  whether  the  inclusion  of  several  languages  in  the  Eighth  Schedule  is  the result  of  the  long  agitations  carried  out  on  the  basis  of  regional  identify  and pressing demand for languages in the country;
- (c) if so, the details of the dates and basis for inclusion various languages Eighth Schedule in the Constitution;
- (d)  whether  the  concerned  States  have  persistently  raised  the  demands  to include Rajasthani, Bhojpuri and Bhoti languages in the Eighth Schedule, if so, the reasons for not including these languages in the Schedule;
- (e)  whether  the  Government  has  received  any proposal for inclusion of Rajasthani language in Eighth Schedule after getting it passed unanimously in Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha on 25 August, 2003;
- (f)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  include  such  languages  including Rajasthani  language  in  the  Eighth  Schedule  by  passing  a  bill  or  issuing  a notification, if so, the time by which such languages are linkely to be included; and
- (g) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a)  to  (g):  A  total  of  22  languages  of  India  are  specified  under  the  Eighth Schedule  to  the  Constitution  of India. The details of date on which recognition

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 2233 FOR 15.03.2022

has been granted to each of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule are as under :-

(i) 14 languages viz. Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu were initially included in the Constitution i.e. on 26.01.1950.

(ii) Sindhi language was included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution on 10.04.1967.

(iii)  Konkani,  Manipuri  and  Nepali  languages  were  included  in  the  Eighth Schedule to the Constitution on 31.08.1992.

(iv) Bodo, Dogri, Maithili & Santhali languages were included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution on 07.01.2004.

There  have  been  demands  from  time  to  time  for  inclusion  of  Rajasthani, Bhojpuri and Bhoti languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. As the evolution of dialects and languages is a dynamic process, influenced by sociocultural, economic and 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.  The  earlier  attempts,  through  the  Pahwa (1996) and Sitakant Mohapatra (2003) Committees, to evolve such fixed criteria have been inconclusive. Government of India is conscious of the sentiments and

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 2233 FOR 15.03.2022

requirements  for  inclusion  of  other  languages  in  the  Eighth  Schedule.  Such requests have to be considered keeping in mind these sentiments, and the other relevant  considerations.  Since  at  present  there  are  no  fixed  criteria  for  any language to be considered for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule  to the Constitution,  no  time-frame  can  be  fixed  for  consideration  of  the  demands  for inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.

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