Official Language
When we talk about “Official Language” in the Indian Constitution, students often misunderstand it as “national language.”
India has no national language.
The Constitution only prescribes official languages for different purposes: Union, States, Judiciary, and certain special directives.
TPart XVII (Articles 343–351) divides language provisions into four broad categories:
- Language of the Union
- Regional Languages of the States
- Language of the Judiciary and Texts of Laws
- Special Directives
Let us go step-by-step.
Language of the Union
The framers of the Constitution knew that India was a linguistically diverse country. So they created a gradual, flexible system. The key provisions are:
1. Official Language of the Union
- Hindi in the Devanagari script is the official language of the Union.
- But for numerals, India does not use Devanagari digits.
The Constitution mandates:
Use of “international form of Indian numerals” (0–9).
This is why all government documents—Acts, notifications, exam papers—use the standard 0–9 numerals.
2. English to Continue for 15 Years (1950–1965)
At the time of Independence, most higher administration worked in English.
So the Constitution allowed:
- English to continue for all official purposes of the Union for 15 years (up to 1965).
This was a transitional arrangement, not an end date.
3. Parliament Can Extend Use of English Even After 1965
The Constitution explicitly empowered Parliament to continue English even beyond 1965.
This ensured flexibility and avoided sudden disruption.
4. Appointment of Official Language Commissions
The Constitution planned a gradual shift to Hindi.
So, it required:
- A Commission at:
- 5 years from commencement (i.e., 1955)
- 10 years from commencement (i.e., 1960)
To recommend:
- Progressive use of Hindi
- Restriction on English
- Practical steps for transition
What actually happened?
- First Commission: 1955, headed by B.G. Kher
- It gave its report in 1956
- A Parliamentary Committee (1957), chaired by Gobind Ballabh Pant, examined the report.
But the second mandatory Commission (1960) was never appointed.
This was one of the earliest signals that India would maintain a bilingual approach much longer.
5. Enactment of the Official Languages Act, 1963
This Act is extremely important for the UPSC exam.
What did the 1963 Act do?
- Allowed English to continue indefinitely, along with Hindi.
- Gave Parliament full flexibility to maintain bilingualism.
In simple words:
From 1963 onward, English never had an expiry date.
The 1967 Amendment
To avoid confusion and linguistic agitation, Parliament amended the Act to:
- Make use of English compulsory in certain cases, especially for non-Hindi speaking states.
This amendment came after large protests in South India (notably Tamil Nadu).
Regional Languages of States
This is another area where students often get confused.
Key point:
The Constitution does NOT tell states which language to adopt.
States choose their own official language(s).
States Can Adopt Any Language in Use in the State
A State Legislature may adopt:
- Any language in use in the state, or
- Hindi, as the official language of that state.
Until it does so:
- English remains the official language of that state.
Many states have adopted major regional languages:
Tamil in Tamil Nadu, Odia in Odisha, Bengali in West Bengal, etc.
Note:
The choice is not restricted to Eighth Schedule languages.
For example, English is not in the Eighth Schedule, but states can adopt it.
Link Language Between Centre and States
- Default link language: English
- But two or more states may mutually agree to use Hindi between themselves.
Official Languages Act, 1963:
- Communication from the Union → non-Hindi state: English only
- Communication between Hindi and non-Hindi states:
- Hindi may be used
- But must be accompanied by an English translation
This ensures no state is linguistically disadvantaged.
Protection of Linguistic Minorities
If a substantial population group demands recognition of a language:
- The President may direct a state to officially recognise that language.
This protects the rights of linguistic minorities.
Language of the Judiciary and Legislation
This area is very important because:
- Administration can be bilingual
- Courts cannot
Let us understand this:
English is Mandatory in Supreme Court and High Courts
Until Parliament decides otherwise:
- All proceedings in Supreme Court → English only
- All proceedings in High Courts → English only
- Authoritative texts of all Central and State laws → English only
This ensures uniformity and avoids ambiguity in judicial interpretation.
States May Use Hindi or Regional Languages in High Court Proceedings
But with conditions:
- Governor may authorise use of Hindi or regional language in proceedings,
BUT ONLY with prior consent of the President - Judgements, decrees, and orders must continue in English
Reason:
Judgements circulate across states & courts; clarity and consistency are essential.
Language of Bills and Acts in the States
- States can draft laws in regional languages
- But a mandatory English translation must be published
(because English is the authoritative version)
Key Provisions Under the Official Languages Act, 1963
The Act states that:
- Hindi translations of Central laws authorized by the President are authoritative.
- Every Bill in Parliament must have a corresponding Hindi translation.
- In certain cases, state laws also require a Hindi translation.
Supreme Court Language
Parliament has not allowed Hindi in Supreme Court.
So, only English is permitted in:
- Filing petitions
- Arguments
- Judgements
This remains unchanged.
Authorised Translations (Central Laws) Act, 1973
This law allows:
- Translation of Central laws into any Eighth Schedule language,
- Once published under Presidential authority → becomes the authoritative text in that language.
This helps citizens understand laws in their own languages.
Special Directives
The Constitution recognises that India is a multilingual country—a country where many languages coexist, and each linguistic community carries cultural pride and identity.
Therefore, Part XVII also includes special safeguards for:
- Linguistic minorities
- Development of Hindi
Let us understand both:
A. Protection of Linguistic Minorities
The Constitution lays down three major protections for linguistic minorities.
1. Right to Submit Representations in Any Language
Every citizen has the right to approach:
- Any Union authority, or
- Any State authority
in any language used in the Union or in that State.
This means no government office can reject your application/complaint simply because it is written in a non-official language.
This provision protects ordinary citizens who may not know the state’s official language.
2. Mother-Tongue Education for Linguistic Minorities
Every state must:
- Provide adequate facilities for mother-tongue instruction at the primary stage
- For children belonging to linguistic minorities
If a state fails to do this, the President may issue directions to ensure compliance.
This ensures that minority groups don’t lose their language or cultural identity, especially during early education.
3. Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities (SoLM)
The Constitution requires the President to:
- Appoint a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities
- To investigate whether states are following constitutional safeguards
- To submit periodic reports to the President
The President must:
- Table these reports before Parliament
- Send the relevant portions to the concerned state governments for corrective action
Thus, linguistic minorities have an institutional watchdog to protect their interests.
B. Development of Hindi Language
Apart from safeguarding minorities, the Constitution also instructs the Centre to promote the development of Hindi.
Why?
The framers visualised Hindi as a possible lingua franca—a link language for India’s composite culture.
Duties of the Centre
The Centre must:
- Promote the spread of Hindi
- Enrich Hindi by:
- Incorporating forms, styles, and expressions from Hindustani
- Drawing vocabulary from:
- Primarily Sanskrit
- Secondarily from other Eighth Schedule languages
This was intended to ensure that Hindi evolves as a modern, inclusive language.
Eighth Schedule and Its Purpose
The Eighth Schedule currently contains 22 languages (originally 14).
These include:
Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
Amendments that Expanded the List
- 21st CAA (1967) → Sindhi
- 71st CAA (1992) → Konkani, Manipuri, Nepali
- 92nd CAA (2003) → Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali
Why does the Constitution recognise these 22 languages?
Two purposes:
- Representation in the Official Language Commission
Speakers of these languages get representation when language policy is discussed. - Enrichment of Hindi
Forms and expressions from these languages are to be used to enrich Hindi as it develops.
Committee of Parliament on Official Language
This Committee is the practical machinery for monitoring the Union’s language policy.
Background
The Official Languages Act, 1963 mandated that after 10 years (i.e., after 1965), a Parliamentary Committee would be set up.
Established in 1976
It consists of:
- 30 MPs
- 20 from Lok Sabha
- 10 from Rajya Sabha
Duties of the Committee
The Committee must:
- Review progress in use of Hindi for Union purposes
- Submit reports to the President
The President then:
- Places these reports before Parliament
- Sends them to all state governments
- May issue directions (fully or partly) based on committee recommendations
Chairmanship
- The Chairperson is elected by Committee members
- Convention: Union Home Minister is elected as Chairman
Scope of Review
The Committee examines not only office work but also broader aspects like:
- Medium of instruction in schools/colleges/universities
- Recruitment rules
- Medium of departmental exams
- Implementation of official language rules
- Compliance with circulars issued by the Government
Its role is advisory but influential in shaping language policy.
Classical Languages
In 2004, the Govt. of India introduced a special category:
👉 “Classical Languages”
This was meant to recognise languages with:
- High antiquity
- Rich literary heritage
- Distinct classical traditions
More about Classical Languages, you can study here.
Articles Related to Official Language
Language of the Union
| Article No. | Subject-matter |
|---|---|
| 343. | Official language of the Union |
| 344. | Commission and Committee of Parliament on official language |
Regional Languages
| Article No. | Subject-matter |
|---|---|
| 345. | Official language or languages of a state |
| 346. | Official language for communication between one state and another or between a state and the Union |
| 347. | Special provision relating to language spoken by a section of the population of a state |
Language of the Supreme Court, High Courts, etc.
| Article No. | Subject-matter |
|---|---|
| 348. | Language to be used in the Supreme Court and in the High Courts and for Acts, Bills, etc. |
| 349. | Special procedure for enactment of certain laws relating to language |
Special Directives
| Article No. | Subject-matter |
|---|---|
| 350. | Language to be used in representation for redress of grievances |
| 350A. | Facilities for instruction in mother-tongue at primary stage |
| 350B. | Special Officer for linguistic minorities |
| 351. | Directive for development of the Hindi language |