- An article by Lavanya Goinka
The Indian Constitution is recognised for being the world’s longest written constitution. It was first published in 1950 and is divided into 12 Schedules, 25 Parts, and 448 Articles. The Constitution has been amended 104 times so far. In a multitude of festivals, customs, and traditions, India’s richness and variety are well known and accepted. The most notable trait, however, is the diversity of languages spoken in India, which includes 121 languages and 270 mother tongues. The 8th Schedule of the Constitution designates 22 languages as official languages out of these many languages. This page aims to highlight the historical context, purpose, and operation of the Schedule.
The Indian Constitution’s 8th Schedule has a long history:
The majority of the components that make up the Indian language are found in the Indo-Aryan and Dravidian language families. The former is an Indo-European language spoken by 70% of Indians, mostly in North India, whereas Dravidian languages are spoken by just 22% of the population, mostly in the South. Other Indian languages are classified as Austro-Asian or Sino-Tibetan (within that, Tibeto-Burman), and there are a few isolated languages, such as Nihali or Kalto, the Maharashtra state language.
Together, English and Hindi are an important part of the country’s administrative operations. However, no one is obligated to speak the major languages as a result of this scenario. The Schedule covers a wide range of topics and now includes 22 languages, giving people the flexibility to speak any language they want. States have the authority to choose and make any of their regional languages mandatory for governmental and educational purposes. However, there are other important timing errors in this Schedule’s history.
Returning to the independence movement, we discover that the British made English their primary language of communication, whereas Indians mostly used Hindi. With the adoption of the Constitution in 1950 came the establishment of the Eighth Schedule, which designated 14 languages as “official languages.” It declared Hindi to be the official language of India.
The Official Languages Act of 1963 was the first, and it was predicated on declaring Hindi and English the official languages of the Parliament. In 1964, a proposal was made to phase out the usage of English.
However, this sparked nationwide protests in areas such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. This resulted in the proposal’s failure. In addition, in 1965, an anti-Hindi agitation erupted. It was a protest against Hindi as India’s official language. This agitation has to be calmed down as well. The Official Languages Resolution was passed in 1967, making English open and free to use.
Following that, the 71st Amendment and the 92nd Amendment, both passed in 2002 and 2004, respectively, added further languages to the Schedule.
The Official Languages Act of 1963 was enacted to protect the rights of those who speak
The Official Languages Act was passed by the Federal Parliament in 1963. It made Hindi and English the official languages of the Parliament, while letting states and union territories to pick their own official languages.
The 15-year expiration term for the use of English is repealed in Section 3 of this Act. Resolutions, general instructions, rules, announcements, administrative or other reports, or press releases issued or issued by the central government or a ministry, department, office, or organisation owned or controlled by the central government contracts, agreements, licences, permits, notices, and tender forms issued by the federal government or any ministry, department, office, or state corporation.
According to Section 5 of the Act, the prohibitions on the use of English will remain in effect until resolutions prohibiting the use of English for the purposes specified in the Act are enacted by the legislatures of those States that have not recognised Hindi as their official language. A resolution must also be passed by both Houses of the Federal Parliament.
With the exception of Jammu and Kashmir, the Governor of a State may authorise the use of Hindi or the official language of the State in addition to English for the purposes of any judgement, decree, or order passed or made by the High Court for that State.
The Official Languages Rules were established under this Act in 1976, and they were changed again in 1987.
1968 Official Language Resolution
The Official Language Resolution, which was passed by both houses of Parliament on January 18, 1968, was introduced in order to enhance the use of Hindi for official purposes by the Union of India.
In accordance with Article 343 of the Constitution, the Resolution declares Hindi to be the official language of the Union. Article 351 states that it is the Union’s obligation to support the Hindi language’s dissemination and development so that it can serve as a medium of expression for all aspects of India’s composite culture.
Article 343 (2) stated that English would be used in official Union documents for a period of 15 years from the date of the Constitution’s inception, i.e., January 25, 1965. With the passage of this resolution, Article 343(3) was added to the regulations, allowing English to continue to be used after January 25, 1965. It provided the parliament the authority to enact legislation in this area.
The resolution also made it mandatory for people applying for various positions in the federal government to know either English or Hindi.
The Indian Constitution’s 8th Schedule has a specific purpose.
The Eighth Schedule’s sole objective is to bring the Indian subcontinent’s diversity together. Listing one language as India’s national language may become an unjustifiable stand for the rest of the country’s languages. As a result, referring to them as official provides a safe headline for progress and acceptance of diversity. As a result, the schedule is labelled with the following purposes:- Providing a safe environment for the nation’s languages and diversity.
- Give the multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation equal representation.
- Empower indigenous peoples by allowing them to communicate with the government in their own language.
Allows more people to perform business, trade, and commerce more efficiently by using a common language.
The Indian Constitution’s 8th Schedule contains constitutional provisions:
Part XVII of the Indian Constitution lists the official languages of India. Articles 343 through 351 are contained in this collection. Articles 344, 344 (1), and 351 of the Constitution articulate the constitutional provisions pertaining to the Eighth Schedule.
Article 344 allows the President to appoint a commission after a five-year period has passed. Article 351 encourages the propagation of the Hindi language in order to help it develop. It intended to be a vehicle for all aspects of India’s composite culture to express themselves.
The 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution has constitutional provisions:
Part XVII of the Indian Constitution specifies the official languages of the country. Articles 343 through 351, inclusive, are included. Articles 344, 344 (1), and 351 of the Constitution outline the constitutional provisions pertaining to the Eighth Schedule.
On the expiration of a five-year period, Article 344 allows the President to form a commission. Article 351 calls for the Hindi language to be widely spoken in order to grow. It was meant to be a vehicle for all aspects of India’s composite culture to express themselves.