Lok Sabha Question No. 2639 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-02
Subject: Inclusion of Languages
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: HARI MANJHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2639

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 nd AUGUST, 2016/SHRAVANA 11, 1938, (SAKA)

INCLUSION OF LANGUAGES

NO. 2639

SHRI HARI MANJHI

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the details of languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, language and State-wise;

(b) whether  the  Government  has  adopted  any  criteria/norms  for inclusion of languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the  said  norms  have  been  followed/adhered  to  by  the Government;

(d) if  not,  the  reasons  therefor  and  the  manner  in  which  the Government  distinguishes  between  dialect  and  new  language  before according it the status of language; and

(e) the details of the benefits likely to accrue to any language after inclusion in the Eighth Schedule?

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:-

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## L.S.US.Q.NO.2639 FOR 02.08.2016

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

Many of these languages are spoken in several States, and their use is not restricted by State boundaries.

(b  to  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  to  be  included    in  the  Eighth  Schedule  to  the Constitution  of  India.  Two  attempts,  through  the  Pahwa  (1996)  and Sitakant Mohapatra (2003) Committees to evolve such criteria have not borne fruit.

'Language' is a socio-cultural-geographical construct in the sense that all  languages  begin  as  dialects/varieties/mother  tongues  but  due  to various  socio-economic-political  reasons  one  of  the  varieties  of  any language  develops  into  or  acquires  the  status  of  a  standard  variety. 'Language' may thus be defined as the standard variety, so that those speaking related varieties may be deemed to be speaking the standard variety.  For example, Awadhi, Braj Bhasha and Khadi Boli are different varieties which constitute what is known as Hindi today and Hindi may, therefore, be considered the standard language for these varieties.

There are no linguistic criteria for differentiating between a language and a dialect.  Socially, a dialect may gradually evolve into a language and acquire the status of a language.

(e):  If included in the Eighth Schedule, the following benefits are likely to accrue to the language:-

- (i) The language shall be permitted as alternative media for the All India and higher Central Services examinations after ascertaining the views of the Union Public Service Commission.

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## L.S.US.Q.NO.2639 FOR 02.08.2016

- (ii) Sahitya Akademy may institute awards, special promotion programmes etc. at their discretion for these languages.

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