Lok Sabha Question No. 3144 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-08
Subject: Inclusion of Language in the Eighth Schedule
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Chandra Prakash Choudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3144

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 8 TH  AUGUST, 2023/ SRAVANA 17, 1945 (SAKA)

INCLUSION OF LANGUAGE IN THE EIGHTH SCHEDULE

3144. SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has any proposal to include Kudmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  promote  Kudmali language in the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(e)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  Kudmali  language  which  is spoken by Kudmis of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar States is at the verge of extinction due to non-existence of a script; and

- (f)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  measure  taken  by  the Government to include Kudmali language in the Eighth Schedule?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (f):  There  have  been  demands  from  time  to  time  for  inclusion  of several  Indian  languages  in  the  Eighth  Schedule  to  the  Constitution including Kudmali. However, there are no fixed criteria for consideration of any language for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. The attempts  to  fix  such  criteria  through  Pahwa  and  Sitakant  Mohapatra

Committees have remained inconclusive. As the evolution of dialects and languages  is  a  dynamic  process,  influenced  by  socio-cultural,  economic and political developments, it is difficult to fix any criterion for languages for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. The Government is conscious  of  the  sentiments  and  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.

Government  of  India  has  established  Central  Institute  of  Indian Languages  (CIIL),  Mysuru  which  works  for  the  promotion  of  all  Indian languages  including  Kudmali.  Under  its  Bharatavani  project, CIIL is working  on  121  languages  of  India  by  digitizing  the  knowledge  text available  in  these  languages.  CIIL  has  also  published  a  Hindi-EnglishKudmali dictionary. In the case of Kudmali, where script is not available Devanagri  script  may  be  used  for  writing.  Further,  National  Education Policy  (NEP),  2020  focuses  on  the  promotion  of  all  scheduled  and  nonscheduled Indian Languages. NEP, 2020 provides, wherever possible, for medium  of  instruction  to  be  in  the  home  language/mother  tongue/local language upto at least class 5 and preferably upto class 8. The policy also provides for making available high quality text books in home language/mother tongue and encouraging teachers to use bilingual approach while teaching.

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