Lok Sabha Question No. 2288 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-05
Subject: Funds for Classical Languages
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2288

ANSWERED ON- 05/08/2024

## FUNDS FOR CLASSICAL LANGUAGES

2288.  Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil and Odia have been declared as Classical Languages;
- (b) if so, the details of the facts along with the reasons that Tamil language being provided with Rs.1200 crore every year since 2020-21 and other languages have been provided with paltry amount ranging between Rs. 8 crores in 202021 to Odia to a maximum of Rs.186 crores for Malayalam in 2022-23;
- (c) the  details  of  funds  provided  for  2023-24  for  all  above  classical  languages, including Telugu;
- (d) the  details  of  promotional  and  works  related  to  classical  aspects  of  Telugu language undertaken since its declaration as Classical Language, year-wise;
- (e) whether any projects are pending for implementation; and
- (f)  if so, the details thereof along with status of each of such project?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (c):  Six Indian languages namely Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia have been accorded the status of Classical Language. The policy of the Government is to promote all Indian languages including classical languages. Central Institute  of  Indian  Languages  (CIIL),  Mysuru  works  for  the  promotion  of  all  Indian languages including four classical languages viz. Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Odia. Development and promotion of Classical Tamil is done by Central Institute of Classical  Tamil  (CICT),  Chennai.  The  Government  of  India  is  promoting  Sanskrit Language through three Central Universities. Funds are provided to these  universities for teaching and research in Sanskrit Language leading to award of degree, diploma,

certificate to students and no separate funds are provided for undertaking any work related to classical aspect of Sanskrit. Funds are provided as per requirement and utilisation.  The  details  of  funds  provided  for  various  classical  languages  are  given below:

(Rs. in lakhs)

| Language   |   2020-21 |   2021-22 |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |
|------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Kannada    |     127.5 |    106.5  |    128.25 |     154.5 |
| Telugu     |     147   |    103.15 |    171.75 |     154.5 |
| Malayalam  |       8   |     63.97 |    186.75 |     112.5 |
| Tamil      |    1200   |   1200    |   1200    |    1525   |
| Odia       |       8   |     58.38 |    176.75 |     138.5 |

(d) to (f): The Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Telugu (CESCT) conducted Seminars, Workshops and Lecture Series for the promotional work related to classical aspects  of  Telugu  language.  No  other  proposal  has  been  received  in  respect  of classical  language  projects  which  are  pending  for  the  implementation  at  the administrative level of the Institute. The internal fellows and external scholars have been assigned academic and research related assignments/projects/studies by the CESCT which gets completed in a span of two to three years, for which details are given below:

|                                                   |   Assigned |   Completed |   Ongoing |
|---------------------------------------------------|------------|-------------|-----------|
| Studies/Projects/Assignments to internal staff    |         39 |          23 |        16 |
| Studies/Projects/Assignments to external scholars |         15 |          10 |         5 |

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