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{{Short description|Languages designated official status by the Constitution of India }}
{{original research}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{synthesis}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2024}}
The '''Official language of India''' is ];<ref name=india-official-lang>'''1'''. ], 2007. ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', . Quote: "By far the most widely spoken is Hindi, the country's official language, with more than 300 million speakers." '''2'''. . (1997-2007) ''Encarta Encyclopedia'' "India: Official Languages." Quote: "Hindi is the main language of more than 40 percent of the population. No single language other than Hindi can claim speakers among even 10 percent of the total population. Hindi was therefore made India’s official language in 1965. English, which was associated with British rule, was retained as an option for official use because some non-Hindi speakers, particularly in Tamil Nādu, opposed the official use of Hindi."
]
'''3'''. . Quote: "The official language of India is Hindi written in the Devanagari script and spoken by some 30% of the population as a first language. Since 1965 English has been recognised as an 'associated language'." '''4'''. Quote: "Hindi is the language of 30% of the population and the official language of India."
'''5'''. Quote: "Languages: Hindi is the official language and the most commonly spoken, but not all dialects are mutually comprehensible. English also has official status and is widely used in business and politics, although knowledge of English varies widely from fluency to knowledge of just a few words."
'''6''' Quote: "Hindi is constitutionally designated as the official language of India, with English as an associate official language."</ref> in addition ] is a subsidiary official language.<ref name=india-official-lang/> Article 343 of the ] states, "The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script."<ref> Article 1: Name and territory of the Union: India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States. Article 2: Parliament may by law admit into the Union, or establish, new States on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit.</ref> States can legislate their own official languages.<ref name=india-official-lang/> Unlike other countries the Constitution of India doesn't define any '']''.{{fact|date=November 2008}}{{page number|date=November 2008}}


{{As of|2024}}, 22 languages have been classified as '''recognised languages''' under the ].<ref name="Eight">{{cite web|title=Eighth Schedule|url=https://www.mea.gov.in/Images/pdf1/S8.pdf|publisher=]|access-date=5 December 2023}}</ref> There is no designated national language of India.<ref>{{cite news|date=25 January 2010|title=Hindi, not a national language|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/hindi-not-a-national-language-court/article94695.ece|newspaper=]|access-date=20 November 2018}}</ref>
This envisages a situation where each state has its own official language(s), while for union purposes the union languages are used.{{clarifyme}} The section of the Constitution of India dealing with '''official languages''' therefore includes detailed provisions<ref>Part of the Constitution of India.</ref>{{or}} which deal not just with the languages used for the official purposes of the union,<ref>Article of the Constitution of India.</ref>{{or}} but also with the languages that are to be used for the official purposes of each ] in the country,<ref>Article of the Constitution of India.</ref>{{or}} and the languages that are to be used for communication between the union and the states ''inter se''.<ref>Article of the Constitution of India.</ref>{{or}}


While the constitution was adopted in 1950, article 343 declared that Hindi would be the official language and English would serve as an additional official language for a period not exceeding 15 years.<ref name="Rajbasha">{{cite web|title=Constitutional Provisions: Official Language Related Part-17 of The Constitution Of India|url=https://www.mea.gov.in/Images/pdf1/Part17.pdf|access-date=1 July 2015|publisher=]}}</ref> Article 344(1) defined a set of 14 regional languages which were represented in the ]. The commission was to suggest steps to be taken to progressively promote the use of Hindi as the official language of the country.<ref name="Constitution">{{cite web|title=Constitution of India, Eighth schedule|url=https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/Eighth_Schedule.pdf|publisher=]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> The Official Languages Act, 1963 which came into effect on 26 January 1965, made provision for the continuation of English as an official language alongside Hindi.<ref>{{cite act|title=Official Languages Act|year=1963|url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1526/1/A1963__19.pdf|legislature=]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>
At the time the constitution entered into force, ] was used for most official purposes both at the ] level and in the various states.{{fact}} The constitution envisaged the gradual phasing in of local languages, principally ], to replace English over a fifteen-year period, but gave ] the power to, by law, provide for the continued use of English even thereafter.{{fact}} Accordingly, English continues to be used today, in combination with Hindi (at the central level and in some states) and other languages (at the state level).{{fact}}


== History ==
The legal framework governing the use of languages for official purpose currently includes the ], the Official Languages Act, 1963, Official Languages (Use for Official Purpose of the Union) Rules, 1976, and various state ]s, as well as ] made by the central government and the states.
The official languages of British India before independence were English, ] and later ], with English being used for purposes at the central level.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mollin|first=Sandra|title=Euro-English: assessing variety status|year=2006|publisher=Gunter Narr Verlag|isbn=978-3-8233-6250-0|page=17|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qPhULmMmqJMC&pg=PA17}}</ref> The origins of official Hindi usage traces back to the late 19th century. In 1881, Hindi replaced Urdu as the official language of Bihar; and in 1900, ] issued an order, which allowed the “permissive — but not exclusive — use” of Devanagari for ] in the courts of ].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rai|first=Alok|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fmnpssOM_3kC|title=Hindi Nationalism (tracks for the Times)|date=2001|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=978-81-250-1979-4|language=en}}</ref>


Following independence, the ] remained divided on the language issue, with some like ] and ] favouring declaring Hindi written in ] the national language of India immediately, while within the camp favouring Hindi there were divisions over whether the script of the language should be Devanagari or Roman, whether Hindustani with both Devanagari and Urdu scripts be retained, and whether the numerals should be international or Devanagari. Meanwhile, some like ], ], and ] wanted to continue the usage of English, while Nehru, although supporting the dropping of English as an official language in favour of Hindi/Hindustani, cautioned against forcefully doing so in face of opposition in the South.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 September 2022 |title=Hindi Diwas, and the history of the debate over Hindi's status |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-culture/explained-hindi-diwas-and-the-history-of-the-debate-over-hindis-status-8150724/ |access-date=18 September 2023 |newspaper=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=14 September 2023 |title=Hindi Diwas: How Constituent Assembly decided on Hindi as the official, and not national, language of India |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-history/hindi-diwas-constituent-assembly-official-language-8940309/ |access-date=18 September 2023 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> The ], adopted in 1950, as a compromise envisaged that English would be phased out in favour of Hindi over a fifteen-year period, but gave Parliament the power to, by law, provide for the continued use of English even thereafter.<ref>], </ref>
== Official languages of the Union{{clarifyme}}==
{{original research|date=November 2008}}
=== Hindi and English ===


Plans to make Hindi the sole official language of the Republic were met with resistance in many parts of the country, especially ], which had a history of opposing imposition of the Hindi language dating back to 1937, when the ] opposed the then Congress led ] decision to make Hindi compulsory in secondary schools.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramakrishnan |first=T. |date=17 October 2022 |title=Explained {{!}} Hindi imposition and its discontents |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/explained-hindi-imposition-and-its-discontents/article66023522.ece |access-date=18 September 2023 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
The ], in 1950, declared ] in ] script to be the ] of the union.<ref>Article .</ref>{{clarifyme}} Unless Parliament decided otherwise, the use of ] for official purposes was to cease 15 years after the constitution came into effect, i.e., on 26 January 1965.<ref>Articles .</ref> The prospect of the changeover, however, led to much alarm in the non Hindi-speaking areas of India, as a result of which ] enacted the ],<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref>http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:-yTtE4_A8JUJ:www.rajbhasha.gov.in/khand8-eng7.pdf+Official+Languages+Act,+1963&hl=ru&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=ru&client=firefox-a</ref> which provided for the continued use of English for official purposes along with Hindi, even after 1965. An attempt was made in late 1964 to expressly provide for an end to the use of English, but it was met with protests from across the country. Some of these protests also turned violent. Widespread protests occurred in states such as ], ], ], ], ] and ]. As a result of these protests, the proposal was dropped,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,940936,00.html|title=The force of words|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Forrester |first=Duncan B. |title=The Madras Anti-Hindi Agitation, 1965: Political Protest and its Effects on Language Policy in India |journal=Pacific Affairs |volume=39 |issue=1/2 |pages=19-36 |date=Spring&nbsp;— Summer 1966 |year=1966 |doi=10.2307/2755179}}.</ref> and the Act itself was amended in 1967 to provide that the use of English would not be ended until a ] to that effect was passed by the legislature of every state that had not adopted Hindi as its official language, and by each house of the Indian Parliament.<ref>Official Languages Act, 1963, .</ref>{{or}}


The Indian constitution, in 1950, declared Hindi in Devanagari script to be the official language of the union. Unless Parliament decided otherwise, the use of English for official purposes was to cease 15 years after the constitution came into effect, that is, on 26 January 1965. The prospect of the changeover, however, led to much alarm in the non-Hindi-speaking areas of India, especially ]-speaking states whose languages were not related to Hindi at all. As a result, Parliament enacted the ], which provided for the continued use of English for official purposes along with Hindi, even after 1965.<ref name=uopu>{{cite web | url=http://www.rajbhasha.gov.in/dolruleseng.htm | title=The Official Languages (Use for Official Purpose of the Union) – Rules 1976 (As Amended, 1987) – Section 3(3) | access-date=10 June 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325173337/http://www.rajbhasha.gov.in/dolruleseng.htm | archive-date=25 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm |title=Commissioner of Linguistic Minorities |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008113359/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm |archive-date=8 October 2007 |access-date=1 June 2007}}
The current position is thus that the ] may continue to use English in addition to Hindi for its official purposes<ref name="autogenerated1">Official Languages Act, 1963, .</ref>{{or}} as a "subsidiary official language,"<ref>.</ref>{{or}} but is also required to prepare and execute a ] to progressively increase its use of Hindi.<ref name="autogenerated3">Official Languages Resolution, 1968, .</ref> The exact extent to which, and the areas in which, the Union government uses Hindi and English, respectively, is determined by the provisions of the Constitution, the Official Languages Act, 1963, the Official Languages Rules, 1976, and ]s made by the Department of Official Language under these laws.
</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.languageinindia.com/april2002/officiallanguagesact.html |title=Language in India Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow |date=2 April 2002 |publisher=languageinindia.com |access-date=19 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240423161906/http://www.languageinindia.com/april2002/officiallanguagesact.html |archive-date=23 April 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Scheduled Languages Act, 1963 |url=http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/RPF/Files/law/BareActs/officiallang1963act.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090601185802/http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/RPF/Files/law/BareActs/officiallang1963act.htm |archive-date=1 June 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Union: Official Language |url=http://india.gov.in/knowindia/official_language.php |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070417150059/http://india.gov.in/knowindia/official_language.php |archive-date=17 April 2007 |website=www.india.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |url=http://www.rajbhasha.gov.in/khand8-eng7.pdf |title=Committee of Parliament on Official Language report |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref>


In late 1964, an attempt was made to expressly provide for an end to the use of English, but it was met with protests from states and territories, including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Some of these protests also turned violent.<ref>Hardgrave, Robert L. (August 1965). "The Riots in Tamilnadu: Problems and Prospects of India's Language Crisis". Asian Survey (University of California Press)</ref> As a result, the proposal was dropped,<ref>{{Citation |title=The force of words |date=19 February 1965 |magazine=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,940936,00.html |access-date=5 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014111537/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,940936,00.html |archive-date=14 October 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Forrester |first=Duncan B. |title=The Madras Anti-Hindi Agitation, 1965: Political Protest and its Effects on Language Policy in India |date=Spring–Summer 1966 |journal=Pacific Affairs |volume=39 |issue=1/2 |pages=19–36 |doi=10.2307/2755179 |jstor=2755179}}</ref> and the Act itself was amended in 1967 to provide that the use of English would not be ended until a resolution to that effect was passed by the legislature of every state that had not adopted Hindi as its official language, and by each house of the Indian Parliament.{{r|uopu|at=3(5)}}
=== The language of Parliamentary proceedings and laws ===


The position was thus that the Union government continues to use English in addition to Hindi for its official purposes{{r|uopu|at=3(1)}} as a "subsidiary official language",<ref> archived from ''www.rajbhasha.gov.in'', accessed 4 August 2020</ref> but is also required to prepare and execute a program to progressively increase its use of Hindi.{{r|uopu|at=1)}}The exact extent to which, and the areas in which, the Union government uses Hindi and English, respectively, is determined by the provisions of the Constitution, the Official Languages Act, 1963, the Official Languages Rules, 1976, and ]s made by the Department of Official Language under these laws.
The Indian constitution draws a distinction between the language to be used in ], and the language in which ] are to be made. Parliamentary business, according to the Constitution, may be conducted in either Hindi or English.<ref>Article .</ref>{{or}} The use of English in parliamentary proceedings was to be phased out at the end of fifteen years unless Parliament chose to extend its use,<ref>Article .</ref>{{or}} which Parliament did through the Official Languages Act, 1963.<ref>Official Languages Act, 1963, .</ref>{{or}} In addition, the constitution permits a person who is unable to express himself in either Hindi or English to, with the permission of the ] of the relevant House, address the House in his ].<ref>Article .</ref>{{or}}


] was set up in June 1975 as an independent Department of the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Functions of Department {{!}} Department of Official Language {{!}} Ministry of Home Affairs |url=https://rajbhasha.gov.in/en/functions-department |access-date=15 June 2021 |publisher=]}}</ref>
In contrast, the constitution requires the authoritative text of all laws, including Parliamentary ]s and ], to be in English, until Parliament decides otherwise.<ref>Article .</ref>{{or}} Parliament has not exercised its power to so decide, instead merely requiring that all such laws and instruments, and all ]s brought before it, also be translated into Hindi, though the English text remains authoritative.<ref>Official Languages Act, 1963, .</ref>{{or}}


=== The language of the judiciary === == Scheduled languages of the Indian Constitution ==
{{anchor|Schedule|Scheduled}}
The Eighth Schedule to the ] lists the official languages of the Republic of India. At the time when the Constitution was enacted, inclusion in this list meant that the language was entitled to representation on the ], and that the language would be one of the bases that would be drawn upon to enrich Hindi and English, the ] of the Union. The list has since, however, acquired further significance. The Government of India is now under an obligation to take measures for the development of these languages, such that "they grow rapidly in richness and become effective means of communicating modern knowledge." In addition, candidates sitting for an examination conducted for public service are entitled to use any of these languages as a medium to answer the paper.


=== Chronology ===
The constitution provides that all proceedings in the ], the country's highest ], shall be in English.<ref>Article .</ref> Parliament has the power to alter this by law, but has not done so.<ref>Article .</ref>


* 1950: 14 languages were initially included in the Constitution.<ref name="sch">{{cite report |title=Constitutional provisions relating to Eighth Schedule |url=http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/Eighth_Schedule.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305010536/http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/Eighth_Schedule.pdf |archive-date=5 March 2016 |access-date=4 October 2016 |publisher=Ministry Of Home Affairs, ]}}</ref>
=== The language of administration ===
* 1967: Sindhi was added by ].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Constitution (Twenty-first Amendment) Act, 1967 |url=http://indiacode.nic.in/coiweb/amend/amend21.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130174023/http://indiacode.nic.in/coiweb/amend/amend21.htm |archive-date=30 January 2012 |access-date=5 December 2013}}</ref>
* 1992: Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were added by ]<ref>{{cite web |title=The Constitution (Seventy-first Amendment) Act, 1992{{!}} National Portal of India |url=https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/constitution-india/amendments/constitution-india-seventy-first-amendment-act-1992 |access-date=19 May 2023 |publisher=India.gov.in}}</ref>
* 2003: Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santali were added by ].<ref name="sch" />
* 2011: The spelling Oriya was replaced by Odia by 96th Constitutional Amendment Act.<ref name="Odia_spelling_change">{{cite web |url=https://1drv.ms/b/s!AoSY7m8bBHQlkxFE7SoviMzbdFto?e=7dAUv8 |title=The Constitution (Ninety-Sixth Amendment) Act, 2011 |publisher=eGazette of India |date=23 September 2011 |access-date=1 May 2024}}</ref>


{{Static row numbers}}
The Union government is required by law to progressively increase the use of Hindi in its official work,<ref name="autogenerated3" /> which it has sought to do through "persuasion, incentive and goodwill."<ref>"."</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"

! Language{{efn|Includes variants and dialects}}
The Official Language Act provides that the Union government shall use both Hindi and English in most ] documents that are intended for the public.<ref> names, amongst others, resolutions, general orders, rules, notifications, administrative or other ]s or ] issued by a ], ] or ]; administrative and other reports and official papers laid before a House or the Houses of Parliament; and ]s and agreements executed, and licences, permits, notices and forms of tender issued by or on behalf of the government (including government companies).</ref> The Official Languages Rules, in contrast, provide for a higher degree of use of Hindi in communications between ]s of the central government (other than offices in ], to which the rules do not apply<ref>Official Languages (Use for Official Purpose of the Union) Rules, 1976, </ref>). Communications between different ] within the central government may be in either Hindi or English, although a translation into the other language must be provided if required.<ref>Official Languages (Use for Official Purpose of the Union) Rules, 1976, </ref> Communications within offices of the same department, however, must be in Hindi if the offices are in Hindi-speaking states,<ref>Official Languages (Use for Official Purpose of the Union) Rules, 1976, </ref> and in either Hindi or English otherwise with Hindi being used in proportion to the percentage of staff in the receiving office who have a working knowledge of Hindi.<ref>Official Languages (Use for Official Purpose of the Union) Rules, 1976, </ref> ]s and ] in files may be in either Hindi or English, with the Government having a duty to provide a translation into the other language if required.<ref>Official Languages (Use for Official Purpose of the Union) Rules, 1976, </ref>
!Speakers<br /><small>(millions,&nbsp;2011)</small><ref name="CensusData 2011, Language and Mother Tongue">{{cite report|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/C-16_25062018_NEW.pdf|title=Statement 1 – Abstract of Speakers' Strength of Languages and Mother Tongues – 2011|publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627064326/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/C-16_25062018_NEW.pdf|archive-date=27 June 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

!Notes<ref name="Offlang">{{cite report|url=http://164.100.166.181/annualreport/52ndReport_CLM_English.pdf|page=124|title=52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India|date=9 August 2021|access-date=6 November 2021|work=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807223707/http://164.100.166.181/annualreport/52ndReport_CLM_English.pdf|archive-date=7 August 2023 }}</ref>
In addition, every person submitting a ] for the redress of a grievance to a government officer or authority has a ] to submit it in any language used in India.<ref name="autogenerated2">Constitution of India, Article .</ref>
!Year included

!Writing system
== Official languages at the state level ==
{{original research|date = November 2008}}
The Indian constitution does not specify the official languages to be used by the states for the conduct of their official functions, and leaves each state free to, through its legislature, adopt Hindi or any language used in its territory as its official language or languages.<ref>Constitution of India, Article </ref> The language need not be one of those listed in the Eighth Schedule, and several states have adopted official languages which are not so listed. Examples include ] in ], ] in ], ], ], and ] in ], and ] in ].

=== The language of the legislature and administration ===

The constitutional provisions in relation to use of the official language in legislation at the ] largely mirror those relating to the official language at the central level, with minor variations. State legislatures may conduct their business in their ], Hindi or (for a transitional period, which the legislature can extend if it so chooses) English, and members who cannot use any of these have the same rights to their ] with the Speaker's permission.<ref>Constitution of India, Article .</ref> The authoritative text of all laws must be in English, unless Parliament passes a law permitting a state to use another language, and if the original text of a law is in a different language, an authoritative English translation of all laws must be prepared.<ref>Articles .</ref>

The state has the right to regulate the use of its official language in ], and in general, neither the constitution nor any central enactment imposes any restriction on this right. However, every person submitting a ] for the redress of a grievance to an officer or authority of the state government has a constitutional right to submit it in any language used in that state, regardless of its official status.<ref name="autogenerated2" />

In addition, the constitution grants the central government, acting through the ], the power to issue certain directives to the government of a state in relation to the use of ]s for official purposes. The President may direct a State to officially recognise a language spoken in its territory for specified purposes and in specified regions, if its speakers demand it and satisfy him that a substantial proportion of the State's population desire its use.<ref>Constitution of India, Article .</ref> Similarly, States and local authorities are required to endeavour to provide ] in the mother tongue for all ], regardless of whether or not their language is official in that State, and the President has the power to issue directions he deems necessary to ensure that they are provided these facilities.<ref>Constitution of India, Article .</ref>

=== The language of the judiciary ===

States have significantly less freedom in relation to determine the language in which judicial proceedings in their respective ] will be conducted. The constitution gives the power to authorise the use of Hindi, or the state's official language in proceedings of the High Court to the ], rather than the state legislature, and requires the Governor to obtain the consent of the ],<ref>Constitution of India, Article .</ref> who in these matters acts on the advice of the ]. The Official Languages Act gives the Governor a similar power, subject to similar conditions, in relation to the language in which the High Court's judgments will be delivered.<ref></ref>

Four states - ], ], ] and ] - have been granted the right to conduct proceedings in their High Courts in their official language, which, for all of them, was Hindi. However, the only non-Hindi state to seek a similar power - ], which sought the right to conduct proceedings in ] in its ] - had its application rejected by the central government earlier , which said it was advised to do so by the Supreme Court.<ref>{{citation |last= Special Correspondent |title=Karunanidhi stands firm on Tamil in High Court | newspaper = The Hindu |pages=1 |year=2007 |date=12 March |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/12/stories/2007031205180100.htm}}.</ref> now in a new move the lawministry has said that it wont object to Tamil Nadu's claim to have Tamil as an official language to conduct proceedings in ] in its ]<ref>http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:SObQUESnNx0J:www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/archives/pr2007/pr110307/pr110307_45.pdf+Making+Tamil+official+language+of+High+Court&hl=ru&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=ru&client=firefox-a</ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref>http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:SObQUESnNx0J:www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/archives/pr2007/pr110307/pr110307_45.pdf+official+language+of+Tamil+in+High+Court&hl=ru&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=ru&client=firefox-a</ref>

=== Languages currently used by Indian states and union territories ===

==== States ====

{| class = "wikitable sortable"
! No. || State || Official Language || Other officially recognised languages
|- |-
|]|| 15.3 ||
| 1. || ] || ]<ref>The Andhra Pradesh Official Language Act, 1966, declares Telugu to be the official language. This enactment was implemented by GO Ms No 420 in 2005. {{citation |last=Rao |first=M. Malleswara |title=Telugu declared official language | newspaper=] (Online edition) |year=2005 |date=September 18, 2005 |url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/18/stories/2005091803740600.htm |accessdate=2007-07-16}}</ref> || ]<ref>Urdu is used as a second official language in certain districts for certain specific purposes. {{cite journal |last=Fatihi |first=A.R.|title=Urdu in Andhra Pradesh |journal=Language in India |volume=3 |issue=4 |month=April | year=2003 |url=http://www.languageinindia.com/april2003/urduinap.html |format=html |id=ISSN: 1930-2940 |accessdate=2007-07-16}}</ref>
Official language of ]
|1950
|]
|- |-
|]|| 97.2 ||
| 2. || ] || ]<ref>{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |pages=para 2.4 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || None<ref>Five languages spoken by the principal tribes in Arunachal Pradesh - ], ], ], ] and ] are offered to students in state schools, however English is the language of administration and recruitment. {{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |pages=para 2.3 - 2.4 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref>
Official language of ], ] and the ] region of Assam, additional official in ]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bihardays.com/jharkhands-11-second-languages-will-create-new-jobs-enrich-national-culture/ |title=Jharkhand's 11 second languages will create new jobs: But also enrich national culture |publisher=BiharDays |access-date=5 January 2014 |archive-date=6 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106033703/http://www.bihardays.com/jharkhands-11-second-languages-will-create-new-jobs-enrich-national-culture/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|1950
|Bengali–Assamese script
|- |-
|]|| 1.48 ||
| 3. || ] || ]<ref name="assamofflang">Assamese is the official language of the State. Bodo is used as an associate official language for specific purposes in the districts of Kokrajhar and Nalbari and in the Udalguri sub division. Bengali is used for administrative and other official purposes in the districts of the Barak valley.{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=42nd report: July 2003 - June 2004 |page=para 3.5 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm | access-date = 2007-06-06}}. See also {{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |pages=para 3.4 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || ], ]<ref name="assamofflang" />
Official language of ], Assam.
|2003
|]
|- |-
|]|| 2.6 ||
| 4. || ] || ]<ref>{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |pages=para 20.5 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || ]<ref>Urdu is recognised as an additional official language for seven specific purposes, namely, receiving and replying to representations from the public; receiving documents in government offices; publishing ]; issuing important letters and orders; publishing important advertisements; publishing government gazettes; and signboards at important places and offices.{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |pages=para 20.5 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref>
Official language of ]<ref name="DogriKashmiri">{{cite news |last1=Das |first1=Ananya |title=Cabinet approves Bill to include Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi as official languages in Jammu and Kashmir |url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/cabinet-approves-bill-to-include-kashmiri-dogri-hindi-as-official-languages-in-jammu-and-kashmir-2307085.html |access-date=8 September 2020 |work=Zee News |date=2 September 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
|2003
| Devanagari
|- |-
|]|| 55.5 ||
| 5. || ] || ]<ref name="Chhatofflang">{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=39th report: July 2000 - June 2001 |page=section 6 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/4.zip | access-date = 2007-07-16}}</ref> || None<ref name="Chhatofflang" />
Official language in ] and additional official language of ]<ref>{{cite web |title=The Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act, 1987 |url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/6809/1/official_language_act.pdf |access-date=12 November 2022 |publisher=Indiacode }}</ref>
|1950
|]
|- |-
|]|| 528||
| 6. || ] || ]<ref name="goaofflang">The Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act, 1987 makes Konkani the sole official language, but provides that Marathi may also be used for "for all or any of the official purposes". The Government also has a policy of replying in Marathi to correspondence received in Marathi. {{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=42nd report: July 2003 - June 2004 |page=para 11.3 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm | access-date = 2007-06-06}} However, whilst there have been demands for making Marathi an official language, as of May 2007, Konkani remained the sole official language. {{citation |last=UNI |title=Marathi vs Konkani debate continues in Goa |date=May 30, 2007 |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/may/30goa.htm | access-date = 2007-06-06}}</ref> || ]<ref name="goaofflang" />
Official language in ], ], Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, ], ], Gujarat,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/4501/1/officiallanguages.pdf |title=The Gujarat Official Languages Act, 1960 |publisher= Indiacode |year=1961 |access-date=21 December 2022 }}</ref> ], ], Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, ], ], ], ], ]. An additional official language in ]<ref name="Telegraph:1" /><ref name="Indiatoday:1" /> Major spoken language in Northern India, and one of the official languages of the Government of India along with ].
| 1950
|Devanagari
|- |-
|]|| 43.7 ||
| 7. || ] || ]<ref name="Guj">{{cite journal |last=Fatihi |first=A.R.|title=Urdu in Gujarat |journal=Language in India |volume=3 |date=], ] |url=http://www.languageinindia.com/sep2003/urduingujarat.html |format=html |accessdate=2007-07-16}}</ref>, ]<ref name="Guj" /> ||
Official language of ]
|1950
|]
|- |-
|]|| 6.8 ||
| 8. || ] || ]<ref name="haryanaofflang">{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=42nd report: July 2003 - June 2004 |page=para 28.3 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm | access-date = 2007-07-16}}</ref> || ]<ref name="haryanaofflang" />
Official language of Jammu and Kashmir<ref name="DogriKashmiri" />
|1950
|], ] and Devanagari
|- |-
|]|| 2.25 ||
| 9. || ] || ]<ref name="hpofflang">{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=42nd report: July 2003 - June 2004 |page=para 29.7 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm | access-date = 2007-07-16}}</ref> || ]<ref name="hpofflang" />
Official language of ]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/konkani/konkani.htm|title=The Origins of the Konkani Language|date=15 January 2016|website=www.kamat.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://languages.iloveindia.com/konkani.html|title=Indian Languages: Konkani Language|website=iloveindia.com|access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref>
|1992
|Devanagari
|- |-
|]|| 13.6 ||
| 10. || ] || ]<ref> of the ] makes Urdu the official language of the state, but provides for the continued use of English for all official purposes.</ref> || None<ref> of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, read together with the sixth schedule thereto, requires the government of the state to establish an academy to develop eight regional languages, namely ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. None of these, however, are official.</ref>
Additional official language in the ] of Jharkhand<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/news/ranchi/jharkhand-raghubar-das-cabinet-decision-maithili-bhojpuri-angika-magahi-second-language/1135878.html |title = झारखंड : रघुवर कैबिनेट से मगही, भोजपुरी, मैथिली व अंगिका को द्वितीय भाषा का दर्जा |trans-title = Jharkhand: Second language status to Magahi, Bhojpuri, Maithili and Angika from Raghuvar cabinet |website=prabhatkhabar.com|date = 21 March 2018 |access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref>
|2003
| Devanagari
|- |-
|]|| 34.8 ||
| 11. || ] || ]<ref name="jharkofflang">{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=41st report: July 2002 - June 2003 |page=para 15.3 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/23.htm | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || None<ref name="jharkofflang" />
Official language of ]; additional official language in ]
|1950
|]
|- |-
|]|| 1.8 ||
| 12. || ] || ]<ref name="kannada">{{cite web|url=http://dpal.kar.nic.in/26%20of%201963%20(E).pdf|title= The Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963|work=Official website of Government of Karnataka|publisher=Government of Karnataka|accessdate=2007-07-16|format=PDF}}</ref><ref name="karnataka">{{cite web|url=http://dpal.kar.nic.in/30%20of%201981%20(E).pdf|title= The Karnataka Local Authorities (Official Language) Act, 1981|work=Official website of Government of Karnataka|publisher=Government of Karnataka|accessdate=2007-07-16|format=PDF}}</ref>
Official language of ]
|1992
|]
|- |-
|]|| 83 ||
| 13. || ] || ]<ref name="kerala">{{cite web|url=http://www.languageinindia.com/feb2005/malayalamdevelopmentchandraj1.html|title= Malayalam, How to Arrest it's Withering Away?|work=M. K. Chand Raj, Ph.D. on Language in India|publisher=Central Institute of Indian Languages,Mysore|accessdate=2007-07-16}}</ref> || ]<ref name="kerala" />
Official language of ]; additional official language of Goa.
|1950
|Devanagari
|- |-
|]|| 2.9 ||
| 14. || ] || ]<ref name="mp">{{cite web|url=http://www.mpgovt.nic.in/culture/language.htm|title= Language and Literature|work=Official website of Government of Madhya Pradesh|publisher=Government of Madhya Pradesh|accessdate=2007-07-16}}</ref> ||
Official language of ]. Additional official language in the ] region of West Bengal.
|1992
|Devanagari
|- |-
|]|| 37.5||
| 15. || ] || ]<ref name="mah1">{{cite web|url=http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/MTDC/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/Trivia.html|title=Maharashtra Tourism: Trivia |work=Official website of Maharashtra Tourism|publisher=Government of Maharashtra|accessdate=2007-07-16}}</ref><ref name="mah2">{{citation|last=Palkar |first=A.B|title=Report of One Man Commission Justice A.B.Palkar: Shri Bhaurao Dagadu Paralkar & Others
Official language of ]; additional official language in Jharkhand, West Bengal<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/oriya-gets-its-due-in-neighbouring-state/181258-60-117.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815161939/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/oriya-gets-its-due-in-neighbouring-state/181258-60-117.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 August 2012|title=Oriya gets its due in neighbouring state- Orissa- IBNLive|date=4 September 2011|publisher=Ibnlive.in.com|access-date=29 November 2012}}</ref> The spelling Oriya was replaced by Odia by 96th Constitutional Amendment Act.<ref name="Odia_spelling_change"/>
V/s State of Maharashtra|year=2007 |volume=I|pages=41|url=http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/pdf/VOLUME-I.pdf|accessdate=2007-07-16}}</ref> || ]
|1950
|]
|- |-
|]|| 33.1 ||
| 16. || ] || ]<ref>Section 2(f) of the Manipur Official Language Act, 1979 states that the official language of Manipur is the Manipuri language (an older English name for the Meiti language) written in the ]. {{citation |last=The Sangai Express |title=Mayek body threatens to stall proceeding |url=http://www.e-pao.net/epRelatedNews.asp?heading=9&src=290703 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || None<ref>Nine tribal languages are recognised for the purpose of education, but have no other official status. {{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |page=para 22.4 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref>
Official language of ]; additional official language of Delhi, Haryana, West Bengal<ref name="Telegraph:1" /><ref name="Indiatoday:1" />
|1950
|]
|- |-
|]|| 0.02 ||
| 17. || ] || ]<ref>{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=42nd report: July 2003 - June 2004 |page=para 25.5 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm | access-date = 2007-07-16}}</ref> || ], ]<ref>The 43rd report of the National Commission of Linguistic Minorities reports that, from a date to be determined, ] will have the status of an associate official language in the districts of the East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi. ] will have a similar status in the districts of the East Garo Hills, West Garo Hills and South Garo Hills. {{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |page=para 25.1 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}. On the 21st of March 2006, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya stated in the State Assembly that a notification to this effect had been issued. {{citation | |title=Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Budget session: Starred Questions and Answers - Tuesday, the 21st March 2006. |url=http://megassembly.gov.in/questions/2006/21-03-2006s.htm | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref>
Classical and scriptural language of India, but not widely spoken, nor the language of any modern Indian community.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sreevatsan |first=Ajai |date=9 August 2014 |title=Where are the Sanskrit speakers? |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Where-are-the-Sanskrit-speakers/article60089403.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307070709/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Where-are-the-Sanskrit-speakers/article60089403.ece |archive-date = 7 March 2022 |work=The Hindu |issn=0971-751X |access-date=23 February 2024}}</ref> Additional official language of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
|1950
|Devanagari, ] and ]
|- |-
|]|| 7.6 || Additional official language of Jharkhand, West Bengal<ref name="The Avenue Mail" />
| 18. || ] || ]<ref name="mizoramofflang">Mizo is the sole official language under the Official Languages Act. However, this statute does not apply to autonomous regions of Mizoram.{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=41st report: July 2002 - June 2003 |page=paras 28.4, 28.9 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/23.htm | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || None<ref name="mizoramofflang" />
|2003
|]
|- |-
|]|| 2.7 || Not the official language of any state, but spoken by nearly three million Indians, mainly in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census Tables |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/data/census-tables |access-date=23 February 2024 |website=Census of India |publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India}}</ref>
| 19. || ] || ]<ref name="nagaofflang">{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |page=para 17.4 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || None<ref name="nagaofflang" />
|1967
|Perso-Arabic script or Devanagari<ref>{{cite journal|url =https://brill.com/view/journals/joss/1/1/article-p1_3.xml?language=en |title =Like Community, Like Language: Seventy-Five Years of Sindhi in Post-Partition India |year = 2021|journal =Journal of Sindhi Studies |doi =10.1163/26670925-bja10002 |access-date = 12 November 2021 |last1 =Iyengar |first1 =Arvind |last2 =Parchani |first2 =Sundri |volume =1 |pages =1–32 |s2cid =246551773 |doi-access =free }}</ref>
|- |-
|]|| 69 ||
| 20. || ] || ],<ref name="orissaofflang">{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=42nd report: July 2003 - June 2004 |page=para 5.4 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || None<ref name="orissaofflang" />
Official language of ] and ].
|1950
|]
|- |-
|]|| 81.1 ||
| 21. || ] || ]<ref name="punjabofflang">Punjabi is the official language of the state. Section 8 of Punjab's Official Language Act requires the state Government to "take suitable steps to develop the Hindi language in the State" but does not give Hindi any official status. {{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=42nd report: July 2003 - June 2004 |page=para 19.6 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm | access-date = 2007-06-06}}.</ref> || None<ref name="punjabofflang" />
Official language in ] and ]. An additional official language in Puducherry and West Bengal.
|1950
|]
|- |-
|]|| 50.7 ||
| 22. || ] || ]<ref name="rajasthanofflang">{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=42nd report: July 2003 - June 2004 |page=para 26.4 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || None<ref name="rajasthanofflang" />
An official language of Jammu and Kashmir; an additional official language in Andhra Pradesh,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=24 March 2022 |title=Urdu second official language in Andhra Pradesh |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/politics/240322/assembly-passes-two-bills-of-minorities-component-and-urdu-as-2nd-offi.html |access-date=26 March 2022 |website=Deccan Chronicle |language=en}}</ref> Bihar, Delhi, Jharkhand, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.<ref name="Telegraph:1" /><ref name="Indiatoday:1" />
|1950
| Perso-Arabic script
|}

==Official languages of the Union==
], with the ] and inscriptions in the two official languages of Hindi and English.]]

=== Parliamentary proceedings and laws ===
The Indian constitution distinguishes the language to be used in Parliamentary proceedings, and the language in which laws are to be made. Parliamentary business, according to the Constitution, may be conducted in either Hindi or English. The use of English in parliamentary proceedings was to be phased out at the end of fifteen years unless Parliament chose to extend its use, which Parliament did through the Official Languages Act, 1963.{{r|uopu|at=3(1b)}} Also, the constitution permits a person who is unable to express themself in either Hindi or English to, with the permission of the ] of the relevant House, address the House in their mother tongue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.constitution.org/cons/india/p05120.html|title=First proviso of Constitution|publisher=Consitution.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030115044918/http://www.constitution.org/cons/india/p05120.html |access-date=1 June 2024|archive-date=15 January 2003 }}</ref>

In contrast, the constitution requires the authoritative text of all laws, including Parliamentary ] and ], to be in English, until Parliament decides otherwise. Parliament has not exercised its power to so decide, instead merely requiring that all such laws and instruments, and all bills brought before it, also be translated into Hindi, though the English text remains authoritative.{{r|uopu|at=5(1, 2))}} The Official Languages Act, 1963 provides that the authoritative text of central acts, rules, regulations, etc., are published in Hindi as well in the official gazette by President of India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://socialjustice.nic.in/UserView/PrintUserView?mid=64581|title=Official Language Act |publisher=Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, ]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref>

=== Judiciary ===
The constitution provides, and the ] has reiterated, that all proceedings in the Supreme Court and the High Courts shall be in English.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/court-language-is-english-says-supreme-court/articleshow/50080870.cms|title=Court language is English, says Supreme Court |newspaper=]|access-date=30 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lawtrend.in/supreme-court-objects-to-use-of-hindi-in-proceedings-reiterates-english-as-official-language/ |title=Supreme Court Objects to Use of Hindi in Proceedings, Reiterates English as Official Language |date=16 September 2024 |access-date=17 September 2024 |website=lawtrend.in}}</ref> Parliament has the power to alter this by law but has not done so. However, in many high courts, there is, with consent from the president, allowance of the optional use of Hindi. Such proposals have been successful in the states of ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/government-press-release/use-of-hindi-language-in-courts-116042801074_1.html|title=Use of Hindi Language in Courts |newspaper=]|date=28 April 2016|access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref>

=== Administration ===
The Official Language Act provides that the Union government shall use both Hindi and English in most administrative documents that are intended for the public, though the Union government is required by law to promote the use of Hindi.{{r|uopu|at=3(3)}} names, among others, resolutions, general orders, rules, notifications, administrative or other reports or ] issued by a ], ] or ]; administrative and other reports and official papers laid before a House or the ]; and contracts and agreements executed, and licences, permits, notices and forms of tender issued by or on behalf of the government (including government companies). The Official Languages Rules, in contrast, provide for a higher degree of use of Hindi in communications between offices of the central government (other than offices in ], to which the rules do not apply).{{r|uopu|at=1(ii)}} Communications between different departments within the central government may be in English and Hindi (though the English text remains authoritative), although a translation into the other language must be provided if required. Communications within offices of the same department, however, must be in Hindi if the offices are in Hindi-speaking states, and in either Hindi or English otherwise with Hindi being used in proportion to the percentage of staff in the receiving office who have a working knowledge of Hindi.{{r|uopu|at=4}} Notes and memos in files may be in English and Hindi (though the English text remains authoritative), with the Government having a duty to provide a translation into the other language if required.{{r|uopu|at=8}}

Besides, every person submitting a petition for the redress of a grievance to a government officer or authority has a constitutional right to submit it in any language used in India.

*12 out of the 22 scheduled languages are made available in the official website of the ], namely Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Meitei (Manipuri), Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu, in addition to English.<ref>{{cite press release |title=PMINDIA Multilingual Website now available in 13 languages Assamese and Manipuri versions of Prime Minister's Official Website launched |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1514873 |access-date=10 March 2023 |publisher=]}}</ref>
* 15 out of the 22 scheduled languages are made available in the ] (PIB) by the ] of the ] (GOI), namely Assamese, Bengali, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Meitei (Manipuri), Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu, in addition to English.<ref>{{cite news|title=PIB press releases in Manipuri |date=25 November 2015 |url=http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=17..251115.nov15 |access-date=10 March 2023 |work=e-pao}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |work=Imphal Free Press |title=PIB website has news in regional languages now |date=24 November 2015 |url=http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/pib-website-has-news-in-regional-languages-now/ |access-date=10 March 2023 }}</ref>
* 14 out of the 22 scheduled languages are selected by the ] (SSC) of the ], to be made available in the conduction of the Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff examination across the country, namely Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Meitei (Manipuri), Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu, in addition to English.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh lauds SSC for deciding to conduct the Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff examination 2022 in 13 regional languages in addition to Hindi and English for the first time |url=https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1892439 |access-date=10 March 2023 |publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=হিন্দি অমসুং ইংলিসকী মথক্তা অহানবা ওইনা লম-লমগী লোন ১৩দা মল্তি-তাস্কিং(নন-তেক্নিকেল) স্তাফ এজামিনেসন ২০২২ পাংথোক্নবা ৱারেপ লৌখিবগীদমক য়ুনিয়ন মিনিস্তর দোক্তর জিতেন্দ্র সিংহনা এস.এস.সি থাগৎখ্রে |trans-title=13th Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff Examination 2022 Panthoknba Wrap Loukhibgidmak Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singha SSC Ray|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1892624 |access-date=10 March 2023 |publisher=] |language=mni}}</ref>

===Implementation===
Various steps have been taken by the Indian government to implement the use and familiarisation of Hindi extensively. ] headquartered at ] was formed to spread Hindi in ]. Regional Hindi implementation offices at ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] have been established to monitor the implementation of Hindi in Central government offices and PSUs.

Annual targets are set by the ] regarding the amount of correspondence being carried out in Hindi. A Parliament Committee on Official Language constituted in 1976 periodically reviews the progress in the use of Hindi and submits a report to the President. The governmental body which makes policy decisions and established guidelines for the promotion of Hindi is the ''Kendriya Hindi Samiti'' (est. 1967). In every city that has more than ten central Government offices, a Town Official Language Implementation Committee is established and cash awards are given to government employees who write books in Hindi. All Central government offices and PSUs are to establish Hindi Cells for implementation of Hindi in their offices.<ref>{{cite web|title=Official Language – Constitutional/Statutory Provisions |url=http://india.gov.in/knowindia/official_language.php |publisher=] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070417150059/http://india.gov.in/knowindia/official_language.php |archive-date=17 April 2007}}</ref>

In 2016, the government announced plans to promote Hindi in government offices in Southern and ].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/centre-to-promote-use-of-hindi-in-south-india-northeast-jitendra-singh/|title=Centre to promote the use of Hindi in South India, Northeast:Jitendra Singh|quote=In response to this several NGO and political parties have started agitation and some have even resorted to violent protests in the Darjeeling for separate statehood, which started in after the official statement in a press meet by Central parliamentary affairs minister. The monster himself hails from South India and many party leader of the government has felt like an insult to the mother language. The TANA has stated "It's high time the North should learn the lessons from the past and should try not to stir the broth"<br/>The ADMK leader has said in New Delhi "It's a shame to see my neighboring state leader hailing from Telugu state speaking against his own mother tongue.<br/>The Dravida Samrakshana Samiti Head has said " it's a direct assault on our culture and is an insult for saying the minister hailing from South India|date=9 June 2016|newspaper=]|access-date=11 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Govt-to-promote-use-of-Hindi-in-routine-conversation-NE/articleshow/52659063.cms|title=Govt to promote use of Hindi in routine conversation|newspaper=]|date=8 June 2016 |access-date=11 June 2016}}</ref>

The Indian constitution does not specify the official languages to be used by the states for the conduct of their official functions and leaves each state free to, through its legislature, adopt Hindi or any language used in its territory as its official language or languages.<ref>{{cite web|title=Constitution of India, Article|url=http://www.constitution.org/cons/india/p17345.html|publisher=Constitution.org|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref> The language need not be one of those listed in the ], and several states have adopted official languages which are not so listed. Examples include ] in ] and ] in ].

=== Legislature and administration ===
The constitutional provisions in relation to use of the official language in legislation at the State level largely mirror those relating to the official language at the central level, with minor variations. State legislatures may conduct their business in their official language, Hindi or (for a transitional period, which the legislature can extend if it so chooses) English, and members who cannot use any of these have the same rights to their mother tongue with the Speaker's permission. The authoritative text of all laws must be in English unless Parliament passes a law permitting a state to use another language, and if the original text of a law is in a different language, an authoritative English translation of all laws must be prepared.

The state has the right to regulate the use of its official language in public administration, and in general, neither the constitution nor any central enactment imposes any restriction on this right. However, every person submitting a petition for the redress of a grievance to any officer or authority of the state government has a constitutional right to submit it in any language used in that state, regardless of its official status.

Besides, the constitution grants the central government, acting through the ], the power to issue certain directives to the government of a state in relation to the use of minority languages for official purposes. The President may direct a State to officially recognise a language spoken in its territory for specified purposes and in specified regions if its speakers demand it and satisfy him that a substantial proportion of the State's population desires its use. Similarly, States and local authorities are required to endeavour to provide ] in the mother tongue for all linguistic minorities, regardless of whether their language is official in that State, and the President has the power to issue directions he deems necessary to ensure that they are provided these facilities.

=== State judiciary ===
States have significantly less freedom in relation to determining the language in which judicial proceedings in their respective ] will be conducted. The constitution gives the power to authorise the use of Hindi, or the state's official language in proceedings of the High Court to the ], rather than the state legislature and requires the Governor to obtain the consent of the ], who in these matters acts on the advice of the Government of India. The Official Languages Act gives the Governor a similar power, subject to similar conditions, in relation to the language in which the High Court's judgements will be delivered.{{r|uopu|at=3(3)}}

Four states—], ], ] and ]—<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barandbench.com/index.php?title=Language%20in%20Courts%20-%20a%20bridge%20or%20a%20barrier?&page=brief&id=805&gn=0|title=Language in Courts – a bridge or a barrier?|publisher=Bar and Bench|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref> have been granted the right to conduct proceedings in their High Courts in their official language, which, for all of them, was Hindi. However, the only non-Hindi state to seek a similar power—], which sought the right to conduct proceedings in ] in the ]—had its application rejected by the central government earlier, which said it was advised to do so by the Supreme Court.<ref>{{citation |last= Special Correspondent |title=Karunanidhi stands firm on Tamil in High Court |page=1 |date=12 March 2007 |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/12/stories/2007031205180100.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070313221430/http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/12/stories/2007031205180100.htm|url-status=dead|newspaper= ] |archive-date=13 March 2007}}</ref> In 2006, the law ministry said that it would not object to Tamil Nadu state's desire to conduct Madras High Court proceedings in Tamil.<ref>{{cite news |date=7 January 2007 |title=The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Thanjavur News : No objection to Tamil as court language: A.P. Shah |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/03/stories/2006120306220800.htm |access-date=19 June 2024 |newspaper=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070107191048/http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/03/stories/2006120306220800.htm |archive-date=7 January 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.silobreaker.com/DocumentReader.aspx?Item=5_848171789|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230004201/http://www.silobreaker.com/DocumentReader.aspx?Item=5_848171789|url-status=dead|title=Silobreaker: Make Tamil the language of Madras High Court|archive-date=30 December 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=30 April 2008 |title=Karunanidhi hopeful of Centre's announcement |url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/21/stories/2008042159970800.htm |access-date=19 June 2024|newspaper=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430135931/http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/21/stories/2008042159970800.htm |archive-date=30 April 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/iep/sunday/story/299161.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080425182337/http://www.indianexpress.com/iep/sunday/story/299161.html|title=Govt likely to allow Tamil in Madras HC|url-status=dead|newspaper=]|archive-date=25 April 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/archives/pr2007/pr110307/pr110307_45.pdf|title=Tamil Nadu government press release|publisher=]|access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref> In 2010, the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court allowed lawyers to argue cases in Tamil.<ref>{{cite news|title= Advocate argues in Tamil in High Court |url=http://newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article443474.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402175831/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article443474.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 April 2015 |access-date=27 June 2010|newspaper=]|date=23 June 2010}}</ref>

===Demands for additional official languages===
At present, as per the ],<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title=Eighth schedule |url=http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/Eighth_Schedule.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305010536/http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/Eighth_Schedule.pdf |archive-date=5 March 2016 |access-date=4 October 2016}}</ref> there are demands for inclusion of 38 more languages
in the ]. These are:
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== Official status in states and territories ==
=== Official languages of States ===
In addition to official languages, a few states also designate official scripts.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- |-
! scope="col" |State
| 23. || ] || ]<ref>{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |pages=para 27.3 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Government of Sikkim |title=Introduction to Sikkim |url=http://sikkim.nic.in/sws/home_int.htm | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || None<ref>Eleven other languages&nbsp;— Bhutia, Lepcha, Limboo, Nepali, Newari, Gurung, Mangar, Mukhia, Rai, Sherpa and Tamang - are termed "official", but only for the purposes of the preservation of culture and tradition. Nepali is widely used for official purposes, but has no formal legal status as the official language.{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |pages=paras 27.3 - 27.4 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}. See also {{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=41st report: July 2002 - June 2003 |page=paras 28.4, 28.9 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/23.htm | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref>
! scope="col" |Official language(s)
! scope="col" |Additional official language(s)
!Mandated scripts
|- |-
| ] || ]<ref name="APOnline">{{cite web |url=http://www.aponline.gov.in/Quick%20links/HIST-CULT/languages.html |title=Languages |work=APOnline |year=2002 |access-date=25 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208110254/http://www.aponline.gov.in/Quick%20links/HIST-CULT/languages.html |archive-date=8 February 2012 }}</ref> || ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Andhra Pradesh Official Language Act, 1966 |url=https://www.courtkutchehry.com/Judgement/Search/AdvancedV2?s_acts=Andhra%20Pradesh%20Official%20Language%20Act,%201966 |access-date=23 June 2023 |publisher=Courtkutchehry.com}}</ref> Urdu<ref name=":1" />
| 25. || ] || ]<ref name="tnofflang">Whilst Tamil is the only official language, important communications are published in minority languages, and electoral rolls are published in Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam in areas where they are widely used. {{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=42nd report: July 2003 - June 2004 |page=para 15.4 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || None<ref name="tnofflang" />
|
|- |-
| 25. || ] || ], ], ]<ref name="tripuraofflang">{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=41st report: July 2002 - June 2003 |page=para 17.3 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/23.htm | access-date = 2007-06-16}}.</ref> || None<ref name="tripuraofflang" /> | ] || ]<ref name="NCLM52">{{cite report|title=52nd report of Commissioner of Linguistic Minorities|url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf|publisher=]|access-date=15 February 2018|page=18|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525141614/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf|archive-date=25 May 2017}}</ref> ||
|
|- |-
| ]<ref>{{cite web |title=The Assam Official Language Act, 1960 |url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/19560 |website=India Code |publisher=Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India |access-date=28 February 2024}}</ref> || ] and ] || rowspan="1" | ] in three districts of ]<ref name="BarakValley">{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-assam-government-withdraws-assamese-as-official-language-in-barak-valley-restores-bengali-2017504|title=Assam government withdraws Assamese as official language in Barak Valley, restores Bengali|work=DNA India|date=10 September 2014|author=ANI|access-date=25 December 2014}}</ref>
| 26. || ] || ], ]<ref name="uttarkhofflang">English, Hindi and Urdu are the official languages of the state, although the purposes for which Urdu is used have not been fully described. {{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |pages=para 7.3 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || ]<ref name="uttarkhofflang" />
|Bodo is officially written in the Devanagari script.
|- |-
| 27. || ] || ]<ref name="upofflang">Hindi is the official language, and Urdu is used for seven specific purposes, similar to those for which it is used in Bihar. {{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |pages=paras 6.1-6.2 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || ]<ref name="upofflang" /> | ] || Hindi<ref name="BiharOLACt1950">{{cite web|url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM50thReport.pdf |title=The Bihar Official Language Act, 1950 |page=31 |date=29 November 1950 |publisher=National Commission for Linguistic Minorities |access-date=26 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708012438/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM50thReport.pdf |archive-date= 8 July 2016}}</ref> || ]<ref name="BiharOLACt1950" />
|
|- |-
| ]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/12800/1/the_chhattisgarh_official_language_act%2c_1957_no._5_of_1958%2c_date_24.01.1958.pdf |title=The Chhattisgarh Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2007 |publisher=Indiacode |year=2008 |access-date=25 December 2022 }}</ref> || Hindi<ref name="Comment">The National Commission for Linguistic Minorities, 1950 (ibid) makes no mention of Chhattisgarhi as an additional state language, despite the 2007 notification of the State Govt, presumably because Chhattisgarhi is considered as a dialect of Hindi.</ref> || ]
| 28. || ] || ]<ref name="wbofflang">Bengali is the official language of West Bengal. Nepali is recognised as an additional official language in ]. In addition, the government has a policy of replying to representations received in minority languages in those languages. {{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 - June 2005 |pages=para 18.4 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 | access-date = 2007-07-16}}.</ref> || ]<ref name="wbofflang" />
|Devanagari
|}

==== Union Territories ====

{| class = "wikitable"
!No. || Union Territory || Official Language || Other officially recognised languages
|- |-
| ] || ], English<ref name="GDDOLAct1987">{{cite web|url=http://www.daman.nic.in/acts-rules%5CHindi-department%5Cdocuments/Official%20Language%20Act.pdf|title=The Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act, 1987|date=19 December 1987|website=U.T. Administration of Daman & Diu|access-date=26 December 2014}}</ref>||]<ref name="langoff">{{cite web|url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM50thReport.pdf |title=Report of the Commissioner for linguistic minorities: 50th report (July 2012 to June 2013) |publisher=Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India |access-date=26 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708012438/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM50thReport.pdf |archive-date= 8 July 2016}}</ref>{{rp|27}}<ref name="Kurzon2004">{{cite book|last=Kurzon|first=Dennis|title=Where East Looks West: Success in English in Goa and on the Konkan Coast|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p5iK3CmIW6EC&pg=PA48|access-date=26 December 2014|year=2004|publisher=Multilingual Matters|isbn=978-1-85359-673-5|pages=42–58|chapter=3. The Konkani-Marathi Controversy : 2000-01 version}} Dated, but gives a good overview of the controversy to give Marathi full "official status".</ref>
| 1. || ] || ], ], ]<ref>"Most of Indian languages are spoken in Andaman and Nicobar Islands because of its cosmopolitan nature. The common language is Hindi whereas English and Hindi are used in official correspondence." {{citation |last=Andaman District Administration |title=Profile |url=http://andamandt.nic.in/profile.htm | access-date = 2007-06-06}}</ref> ||
|
|- |-
| ] || ], Hindi<ref name="Benedikter2009">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vpZv2GHM7VQC&pg=PA89|title=Language Policy and Linguistic Minorities in India: An Appraisal of the Linguistic Rights of Minorities in India|last=Benedikter|first=Thomas|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|year=2009|isbn=978-3-643-10231-7|page=89}}</ref> ||
| 2. || ] || ], ] ||
|
|- |-
| ]<ref name="HOLA1969">{{cite web |title=The Haryana Official Language Act, 1969 |url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/18246 |website=India Code |publisher=Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India |access-date=28 February 2024}}</ref> || Hindi||],<ref name="langoff" /> ]<ref>{{cite news|title=Haryana grants second language status to Punjabi |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/haryana-grants-second-language-status-to-punjabi/article1-502720.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903231506/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/haryana-grants-second-language-status-to-punjabi/article1-502720.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 September 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=28 January 2010}}</ref>
| 3. || ] || ], ] ||
|Hindi should be written in Devanagari.
Punjabi should be written in Gurmukhi.
|- |-
| ]<ref>{{cite web |title=The Himachal Pradesh Official Language Act, 1975 |url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/5711 |website=India Code |publisher=Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India}}</ref> || Hindi ||]<ref>{{cite news |title=Bill to make Sanskrit second official language of HP passed |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/bill-to-make-sanskrit-second-official-language-of-hp-passed/730075.html |date=17 February 2019 |access-date=10 March 2019 |work=] |author=Pratibha Chauhan |location=Shimla}}</ref>
| 4. || ] || ], ] || ]<ref name="goaofflang" />
| Both Hindi and Sanskrit are written in Devanagari.
|- |-
| ] || Hindi<ref name="NCLM52" /> || ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ]<ref name="The Avenue Mail">{{cite news |title=Jharkhand gives second language status to Magahi, Angika, Bhojpuri and Maithili |url=https://www.avenuemail.in/ranchi/jharkhand-gives-second-language-status-to-magahi-angika-bhojpuri-and-maithili/118291/ |work=The Avenue Mail |date=21 March 2018 |access-date=30 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328090028/https://www.avenuemail.in/ranchi/jharkhand-gives-second-language-status-to-magahi-angika-bhojpuri-and-maithili/118291/ |archive-date=28 March 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Jharkhand notifies Bhumij as second state language |url=https://avenuemail.in/jharkhand-notifies-bhumij-as-second-state-language/ |access-date=17 April 2022 |work=The Avenue Mail |date=5 January 2019}}</ref>
| 5. || ] || ] || ]<ref name="delhi1">Urdu and Punjabi are the second official languages of Delhi under the Delhi Official Language Bill, 2000 {{cite web |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/43388.cms|title=Punjabi, Urdu made official languages in Delhi |accessdate=2007-07-17 |date=2003-06-25 |publisher=]}}</ref>, ]<ref name="delhi1" />
|
|- |-
| 6. || ] || ] || | ] || ] ||
|
|- |-
| ] || ] || English
| 7. || ] || ]<ref>{{citation |last=Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Pondicherry |title=General Information on Pondicherry |url=http://www.ceopondicherry.nic.in/Bkground/GeneralInfo.htm | access-date = 2007-06-06}}</ref>, ],], || ], ]
|} |

== The languages of the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution ==

The Eighth Schedule to the ] contains a list of 22 scheduled languages. At the time the constitution was enacted, inclusion in this list meant that the language was entitled to representation on the ],<ref>Constitution of India, Article .</ref> and that the language would be one of the bases that would be drawn upon to enrich Hindi, the official language of the Union.<ref>Constitution of India, Article .</ref> The list has since, however, acquired further significance. The Government of India is now under an obligation to take measures for the development of these languages, such that "they grow rapidly in richness and become effective means of communicating modern knowledge."<ref>Official Languages Resolution, 1968, .</ref> In addition, a candidate appearing in an examination conducted for public service at a higher level is entitled to use any of these languages as the medium in which he answers the paper.<ref>Official Languages Resolution, 1968, .</ref>

Via the 92nd Constitutional amendment 2003, 4 new languages&nbsp;– ], ], ], and ]&nbsp;– were added to the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.<ref></ref>

The following table lists the languages set out in the eighth schedule as of May 2007, together with the regions where they are used:<ref>, page 330, EIGHTH SCHEDULE, Articles 344 (1) and 351]. Languages.</ref>

{| class = "wikitable sortable"
!No. || Language || State(s)
|- |-
| ]<ref name="mp">{{Citation|url=http://www.mpgovt.nic.in/culture/language.htm |title=Language and Literature |work=Official website of Government of Madhya Pradesh |publisher=Government of Madhya Pradesh |access-date=16 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929062809/http://www.mpgovt.nic.in/culture/language.htm |archive-date=29 September 2007}}</ref> || Hindi ||
| 1. || ''']''' || ]
|
|- |-
| ]<ref>{{cite web |title=The Maharashtra Local Authorities Official Language Act, 2022 |url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/17944 |website=India Code |publisher=Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India |access-date=28 February 2024}}</ref> || ] ||
| 2. || ''']''' || ], ], ]
|Devanagari
|- |-
| ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Manipur Official Language (Amendment )Act 2021 |url=https://manipurgovtpress.nic.in/en/details_gazzete/?gazette=658 |publisher=Directorate of Printing & Stationery, Government of Manipur. |access-date=28 February 2024}}</ref> || ] || English || ]
| 3. || ''']''' || ]
|- |-
| ] || English<ref>{{citation |last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=42nd report: July 2003 – June 2004 |page=para 25.5 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm | access-date = 16 July 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071008113359/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/35.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 8 October 2007}}</ref> || ] and ]<ref>{{citation|last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 – June 2005 |page=para 25.1 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 |access-date=16 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410022828/http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 |archive-date=10 April 2009}} On 21 March 2006, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya stated in the State Assembly that a notification to this effect had been issued. {{citation |title=Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Budget session: Starred Questions and Answers – Tuesday, the 21st March 2006. |url=http://megassembly.gov.in/questions/2006/21-03-2006s.htm | access-date = 16 July 2007}}.</ref> (associate official in districts)
| 4. || ''']''' || ]
|
|- |-
| ] || ], ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, North East India |url=https://mdoner.gov.in/about-north-east/mizoram |website=mdoner.gov.in |access-date=26 March 2022}}</ref> ||
| 5. || ''']''' || ], ], ]
|
|- |-
| ] || ] ||
| 6. || ''']''' || ], ], ], ], ], the ] of ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]
|
|- |-
| ] || ]<ref name="IE2Jan2016">{{cite news|title=Oriya to be official language in Orissa – Indian Express|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/oriya-to-be-official-language-in-orissa/562572/|access-date=15 May 2016|newspaper=]|date=2 January 2016}}</ref> || ]
| 7. || ''']''' || ].
|
|- |-
| ] || ]<ref name="langoff" /> ||
| 8. || ''']''' || ]
|Gurmukhi
|- |-
| ] || Hindi ||
| 9. || ''']''' || ], ], ], ]
|
|- |-
| ] || ], ], ], ]<ref name="langoff" /><ref name="SikkimGazette">{{cite web |title=1977 Sikkim government gazette |url=https://www.sikkim.gov.in/stateportal/UsefulLinks/Gazette1977.pdf |website=sikkim.gov.in |publisher=Governor of Sikkim |access-date=22 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722164022/https://www.sikkim.gov.in/stateportal/UsefulLinks/Gazette1977.pdf |archive-date=22 July 2018 |page=188}}</ref> || ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]<ref name="langoff" />
| 10. || ''']''' || ]
|
|- |-
| 11. || ''']''' || ], ], ],] | ] || ] || ]
|
|- |-
| ] || ] ||Urdu<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 November 2017 |title=Urdu is Telangana's second official language |language=en-US |work=] |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/urdu-is-telanganas-second-official-language-4940595/ |access-date=27 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=17 November 2017 |title=Urdu is second official language in Telangana as state passes Bill |work=The News Minute |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/urdu-second-official-language-telangana-state-passes-bill-71742 |access-date=27 February 2018}}</ref>
| 12. || ''']''' (also '''Meitei''' or '''Meithei''') || ]
|
|- |-
| ] || ], ], ]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://tripura.gov.in/knowtripura |title=Bengali and Kokborok are the state/official language, English, Hindi, Manipuri and Chakma are other languages |work=Tripura Official government website |access-date=29 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212025154/http://tripura.gov.in/knowtripura |archive-date=12 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=}} ''www.lawsofindia.org''</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Laws of India : The Tripura Official Language Act, 1964 |url=https://lawsofindia.blinkvisa.com/statelaw/2251/TheTripuraOfficialLanguageAct1964.html |access-date=5 October 2023 |website=lawsofindia.blinkvisa.com|date=18 May 2022 }}</ref>||
| 13. || ''']''' || ], ], ], ], ], ]
|
|- |-
| ] || Hindi || Urdu<ref name="upofflang">{{citation|last=Commissioner Linguistic Minorities |title=43rd report: July 2004 – June 2005 |pages=paras 6.1–6.2 |url=http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 |access-date=16 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410022828/http://nclm.nic.in/index1.asp?linkid=203 |archive-date=10 April 2009}}</ref>
| 14. || ''']''' || ], ], ]
|
|- |-
| 15. || ''']''' || ] | ] || Hindi || ]
|
|- |-
| ] || ], ]<ref name="langoff" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Fact and Figures|url=https://wb.gov.in/portal/web/guest/facts-and-figures;jsessionid=JzdD9RHb7aMY5esZPtcsIVLy |website=www.wb.gov.in|access-date=30 March 2018}}</ref>|| ] in ] and ] sub-divisions;<ref name="langoff" /> <br />Urdu, Hindi, ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] in blocks, divisions or districts with population greater than 10 per cent<ref name="Telegraph:1">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1121211/jsp/bengal/story_16301872.jsp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325232340/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1121211/jsp/bengal/story_16301872.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 March 2018 |title=Multi-lingual Bengal |date=11 December 2012 |newspaper=]}}</ref><ref name="Indiatoday:1">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/kamtapuri-rajbanshi-make-it-to-list-of-official-languages-in-1179890-2018-02-28 |title=Kamtapuri, Rajbanshi make it to list of official languages in |last=Roy |first=Anirban |date=28 February 2018 |magazine=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Shiv Sahay Singh|date=2 March 2017 |title=Revitalising a language|work=] |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/revitalising-a-language/article17395995.ece |access-date=31 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=West Bengal shows 'Mamata' to Telugus |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/west-bengal-shows-mamata-to-telugus-663381 |access-date=23 March 2021 |work=Hans India |date=24 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
| 16. || ''']''' || ], ], ], ]
|
|}

=== Official languages of Union Territories ===
{| class = "wikitable sortable"
|- |-
! scope="col" |Union territory
| 17. || ''']''' || Non-regional language.
! scope="col" |Official language(s)<ref name="langoff" />
! scope="col" |Additional official language(s)
|- |-
| ]<ref>{{cite web|date=7 October 2020|title=Most Spoken Language In Andaman And Nicobar Islands : Here's All You Need To Know|url=https://www.indiatimes.com/lifestyle/most-spoken-language-in-andaman-and-nicobar-islands-524657.html|access-date=30 November 2021|website=IndiaTimes|language=en-IN}}</ref>
| 18. || ''']''' || ] tribals of the ] (comprising the states of ], ], ], ])
| rowspan="4" | Hindi, ] ||
|- |-
| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dnh.nic.in/deptdoc/D_OfficialLang_citizenchart2011_12.pdf |title=Administration of Dedra and Nagar Haveli, U.T. (Official Language Department) Secretariat Citizens charter-2011 |access-date=1 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202163507/http://dnh.nic.in/deptdoc/D_OfficialLang_citizenchart2011_12.pdf |archive-date=2 February 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu – Culture and Tradition |url=https://www.ritiriwaz.com/dadra-and-nagar-haveli-and-daman-and-diu-culture-and-tradition/ |website=RitiRiwaz|date=7 April 2020 }}</ref>|| ]
| 19. || ''']''' || Non-regional language.
|- |-
| ]<ref name="delhi1">Urdu and Punjabi are the two secondary official languages of Delhi under the Delhi Official Language Bill, 2000 {{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Punjabi-Urdu-made-official-languages-in-Delhi/articleshow/43388.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811072013/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-06-25/delhi/27182151_1_urdu-second-official-official-languages|url-status=live|archive-date=11 August 2011|title=Punjabi, Urdu made official languages in Delhi |access-date=17 July 2007 |date=25 June 2003 |newspaper=]}}</ref>|| ], ]
| 20. || ''']''' || ], ], ];
|- |-
| ]||
| 21. || ''']''' || ], ], ];
|- |-
| ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Languages in Chandigarh |url=https://www.chandigarhcity.com/information/languages/ |website=Chandigarh City}}</ref>
| 22. || ''']''' || ], ], ], ], ]
| rowspan="2" | English||
|}
|-
| ]<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM50thReport.pdf |page=153 |title=50th Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India |date=16 July 2014 |access-date=6 November 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708012438/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM50thReport.pdf |archive-date= 8 July 2016 }}</ref><ref name="Benedikter2009-134">{{cite book|author=Thomas Benedikter|title=Language Policy and Linguistic Minorities in India: An Appraisal of the Linguistic Rights of Minorities in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vpZv2GHM7VQC&pg=PA134|year=2009|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3-643-10231-7|page=134}}</ref> ||
|-
| ]
| ], ], ], ], English<ref name="Jammu">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India |page=2 |access-date=27 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019215035/http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |archive-date=Oct 19, 2020}}</ref> ||
|-
| ]
| ], ] (in ]), ] (in ]){{efn|See ]}}<ref>There are three primary languages used for official purposes – Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. The official language policy of the union territory states that the Tamil language should be the primary language used for all or any of the official purposes of the union territory. In the case of Mahe and Yanam, Malayalam and Telugu, respectively, may be used instead of or in conjunction with Tamil. The English language may also be used for official purposes. (ACT 28, Gazetteer, Pondicherry Vol. 1, P. II)</ref><ref>{{citation|last=Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Puducherry |title=General Information on Pondicherry |url=http://www.ceopondicherry.nic.in/Bkground/GeneralInfo.htm |access-date=6 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928180538/http://www.ceopondicherry.nic.in/Bkground/GeneralInfo.htm |archive-date=28 September 2007}}</ref> || English, ]<ref name="Statesmen1969Reference">{{cite book |title=The Statesman's Year-Book 1969-70: The one-volume Encyclopaedia of all nations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8UvODQAAQBAJ|first1=S.|last1=Steinberg|first2=J.|last2=Paxton| date=28 December 2016 |publisher=McMillan St Martin Press|page=386|isbn=978-0-230-27098-5 |access-date=2 August 2022}}</ref>
|}<section end="Lists of Official Languages of States and Union Territories of India" />


== The language of centre-state and interstate communication == == Union–state and interstate communication communication rules ==
]) and the two official languages Hindi and English.]]
The language of communications between different states or between the union government and a state or a person in a state, is regulated by the Official Languages Act and, except for communications involving ], which are governed by the Official Languages Rules. Communication between states which have Hindi as an official language must be in Hindi, whereas communication between a state where Hindi is an official language and one where it is not Hindi and must be in English, or, in Hindi with an accompanying English translation (unless the receiving state agrees to dispense with the translation).<ref name=uopu/>


Communication between the union and states which use Hindi as their official language (classified by the Official Language Rules as "the states in Region A"), and with persons who live in those states, is generally in Hindi, except in certain cases. Communication with a second category of states "Region B", which do not have Hindi as an official language but have elected to communicate with the union in Hindi is usually in Hindi, while communications ''sent'' to an individual in those states may be in Hindi and English.{{r|uopu|at=3(2))}} Communication with all other states "Region C", and with people living in them, is in English.{{r|uopu|at=3(3))}}
The language in which communications between different states, or from the central government to a state or a person in a state, shall be sent is regulated by the Official Languages Act and, for states other than ], by the Official Languages Rules. Communication between states who use Hindi as their official language is required to be in Hindi, whereas communication between a state whose official language is Hindi and one whose is not is required to be in English, or in Hindi with an accompanying English translation (unless the receiving state agrees to dispense with the translation).<ref name="autogenerated1" />


'''Region A''': ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Communications from the Union are in Hindi.
Communication between the centre and states which use Hindi as their official language (classified by the Official Language Rules as "the states in Region A"), and with persons who live in those states, is in Hindi, except in exceptional cases.<ref>Official Languages Rules, 1976, .</ref> Communication with a second category of states, which do not use Hindi as their official language but are willing to communicate with the centre in Hindi (currently ], ], ] and ]<ref>Official Languages Rules, 1976, .</ref>) is usually in Hindi, whilst communications sent to an individual in those states may be in either Hindi or English.<ref>Official Languages Rules, 1976, .</ref> Communication with all other states, and with persons living in them, is in English.<ref>Official Languages Rules, 1976, .</ref>


'''Region B''': ], ], ], ] and ]. Communications from the Union are in Hindi and English.
== See also ==


'''Region C''': Others. Communications from the Union are in English only.

== Arts and literature ==
* Best Feature Film in any of the scheduled languages are eligible for the ].{{Efn|In certain years, films of languages other than the scheduled languages also get eligible.<ref>{{cite web|date=22 July 2022 |title=68th National Film Awards: Here is the list of winners |url=http://nenow.in/entertainment/68th-national-film-awards-here-is-the-list-of-winners.html |access-date=10 March 2023 |work=Northeast Now}}</ref>}}
* Literary works in any of the scheduled languages are eligible for the ]s, the ]s and the ].<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last1=Malik |first1=Ravindra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oNMuEAAAQBAJ&dq=saraswati+samman+languages&pg=PA158 |title=HARYANA GK: HARYANA AT THE START OF 2021 |last2=ARSu |first2=Team |publisher=MyARSu |pages=158 |language=en}}</ref>
* People who contribute to the literature of any of the scheduled languages are eligible for the ].<ref name=":2" />
* Literary works in any of the scheduled languages are eligible for the ]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jnanpith Award {{!}} Indian literary award |publisher=Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/art/Jnanpith-Award |access-date=10 March 2023}}</ref>
* Prose or poetry literary works in any of the scheduled languages are eligible for the ], the highest among all the literary awards in India.<ref name=":2" />
* Writers who contribute to the literature of any of the scheduled languages are eligible for the ] Awards.<ref name=":2" />

== See also ==
{{Wikisource|Official Languages Act, 1963}}
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}


== References == == References ==
{{reflist|2}} {{Reflist}}


== External links == == External links ==

* &nbsp;– Official webpage explains the chronological events related to ''Official Languages Act'' and amendments * &nbsp;– Official webpage explains the chronological events related to ''Official Languages Act'' and amendments
* &nbsp;– A comprehensive federal government site that offers complete info on Indian Languages
* by Jason Baldridge
* &nbsp;– Ethnologue report on the languages of India
* &nbsp;– Technology Development for Indian Languages, Government of India
* &nbsp;– The Official Portal of the Indian Government
*
*


{{Languages of India}} {{Languages of India}}

{{Languages of South Asia}} {{Languages of South Asia}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Languages With Official Status In India}}
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Latest revision as of 05:31, 10 January 2025

Languages designated official status by the Constitution of India

States and union territories of India by the most spoken languages.

As of 2024, 22 languages have been classified as recognised languages under the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. There is no designated national language of India.

While the constitution was adopted in 1950, article 343 declared that Hindi would be the official language and English would serve as an additional official language for a period not exceeding 15 years. Article 344(1) defined a set of 14 regional languages which were represented in the Official Languages Commission. The commission was to suggest steps to be taken to progressively promote the use of Hindi as the official language of the country. The Official Languages Act, 1963 which came into effect on 26 January 1965, made provision for the continuation of English as an official language alongside Hindi.

History

The official languages of British India before independence were English, Standard Urdu and later Modern Standard Hindi, with English being used for purposes at the central level. The origins of official Hindi usage traces back to the late 19th century. In 1881, Hindi replaced Urdu as the official language of Bihar; and in 1900, MacDonnell issued an order, which allowed the “permissive — but not exclusive — use” of Devanagari for Hindustani language in the courts of North-Western Provinces.

Following independence, the Constituent Assembly remained divided on the language issue, with some like R. V. Dulekar and Seth Govind Das favouring declaring Hindi written in Devanagari the national language of India immediately, while within the camp favouring Hindi there were divisions over whether the script of the language should be Devanagari or Roman, whether Hindustani with both Devanagari and Urdu scripts be retained, and whether the numerals should be international or Devanagari. Meanwhile, some like Frank Anthony, T A Ramalingam Chettiar, and Naziruddin Ahmad wanted to continue the usage of English, while Nehru, although supporting the dropping of English as an official language in favour of Hindi/Hindustani, cautioned against forcefully doing so in face of opposition in the South. The Indian constitution, adopted in 1950, as a compromise envisaged that English would be phased out in favour of Hindi over a fifteen-year period, but gave Parliament the power to, by law, provide for the continued use of English even thereafter.

Plans to make Hindi the sole official language of the Republic were met with resistance in many parts of the country, especially in Tamil Nadu, which had a history of opposing imposition of the Hindi language dating back to 1937, when the Justice Party opposed the then Congress led Madras Government's decision to make Hindi compulsory in secondary schools.

The Indian constitution, in 1950, declared Hindi in Devanagari script to be the official language of the union. Unless Parliament decided otherwise, the use of English for official purposes was to cease 15 years after the constitution came into effect, that is, on 26 January 1965. The prospect of the changeover, however, led to much alarm in the non-Hindi-speaking areas of India, especially Dravidian-speaking states whose languages were not related to Hindi at all. As a result, Parliament enacted the Official Languages Act, 1963, which provided for the continued use of English for official purposes along with Hindi, even after 1965.

In late 1964, an attempt was made to expressly provide for an end to the use of English, but it was met with protests from states and territories, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, West Bengal, Karnataka, Puducherry, Nagaland, Mizoram and Andhra Pradesh. Some of these protests also turned violent. As a result, the proposal was dropped, and the Act itself was amended in 1967 to provide that the use of English would not be ended until a resolution to that effect was passed by the legislature of every state that had not adopted Hindi as its official language, and by each house of the Indian Parliament.

The position was thus that the Union government continues to use English in addition to Hindi for its official purposes as a "subsidiary official language", but is also required to prepare and execute a program to progressively increase its use of Hindi.The exact extent to which, and the areas in which, the Union government uses Hindi and English, respectively, is determined by the provisions of the Constitution, the Official Languages Act, 1963, the Official Languages Rules, 1976, and statutory instruments made by the Department of Official Language under these laws.

Department of Official Language was set up in June 1975 as an independent Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Scheduled languages of the Indian Constitution

The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India lists the official languages of the Republic of India. At the time when the Constitution was enacted, inclusion in this list meant that the language was entitled to representation on the Official Languages Commission, and that the language would be one of the bases that would be drawn upon to enrich Hindi and English, the official languages of the Union. The list has since, however, acquired further significance. The Government of India is now under an obligation to take measures for the development of these languages, such that "they grow rapidly in richness and become effective means of communicating modern knowledge." In addition, candidates sitting for an examination conducted for public service are entitled to use any of these languages as a medium to answer the paper.

Chronology

Language Speakers
(millions, 2011) 		Notes Year included Writing system
Assamese 15.3

Official language of Assam

1950 Bengali–Assamese script
Bengali 97.2

Official language of West Bengal, Tripura and the Barak Valley region of Assam, additional official in Jharkhand

1950 Bengali–Assamese script
Bodo 1.48

Official language of Bodoland, Assam.

2003 Devanagari
Dogri 2.6

Official language of Jammu and Kashmir

2003 Devanagari
Gujarati 55.5

Official language in Gujarat and additional official language of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

1950 Gujarati script
Hindi 528

Official language in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand. An additional official language in West Bengal Major spoken language in Northern India, and one of the official languages of the Government of India along with English.

1950 Devanagari
Kannada 43.7

Official language of Karnataka

1950 Kannada script
Kashmiri 6.8

Official language of Jammu and Kashmir

1950 Perso-Arabic script, Sharada script and Devanagari
Konkani 2.25

Official language of Goa

1992 Devanagari
Maithili 13.6

Additional official language in the Mithila region of Jharkhand

2003 Devanagari
Malayalam 34.8

Official language of Kerala; additional official language in Puducherry

1950 Malayalam script
Manipuri 1.8

Official language of Manipur

1992 Meitei script
Marathi 83

Official language of Maharashtra; additional official language of Goa.

1950 Devanagari
Nepali 2.9

Official language of Sikkim. Additional official language in the Gorkhaland region of West Bengal.

1992 Devanagari
Odia 37.5

Official language of Odisha; additional official language in Jharkhand, West Bengal The spelling Oriya was replaced by Odia by 96th Constitutional Amendment Act.

1950 Odia script
Punjabi 33.1

Official language of Punjab; additional official language of Delhi, Haryana, West Bengal

1950 Gurmukhi
Sanskrit 0.02

Classical and scriptural language of India, but not widely spoken, nor the language of any modern Indian community. Additional official language of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

1950 Devanagari, Brahmi and Brahmic scripts
Santali 7.6 Additional official language of Jharkhand, West Bengal 2003 Ol Chiki
Sindhi 2.7 Not the official language of any state, but spoken by nearly three million Indians, mainly in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh. 1967 Perso-Arabic script or Devanagari
Tamil 69

Official language of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

1950 Tamil script
Telugu 81.1

Official language in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. An additional official language in Puducherry and West Bengal.

1950 Telugu script
Urdu 50.7

An official language of Jammu and Kashmir; an additional official language in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Jharkhand, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

1950 Perso-Arabic script

Official languages of the Union

The front cover of a contemporary Indian passport, with the national emblem and inscriptions in the two official languages of Hindi and English.

Parliamentary proceedings and laws

The Indian constitution distinguishes the language to be used in Parliamentary proceedings, and the language in which laws are to be made. Parliamentary business, according to the Constitution, may be conducted in either Hindi or English. The use of English in parliamentary proceedings was to be phased out at the end of fifteen years unless Parliament chose to extend its use, which Parliament did through the Official Languages Act, 1963. Also, the constitution permits a person who is unable to express themself in either Hindi or English to, with the permission of the Speaker of the relevant House, address the House in their mother tongue.

In contrast, the constitution requires the authoritative text of all laws, including Parliamentary enactments and statutory instruments, to be in English, until Parliament decides otherwise. Parliament has not exercised its power to so decide, instead merely requiring that all such laws and instruments, and all bills brought before it, also be translated into Hindi, though the English text remains authoritative. The Official Languages Act, 1963 provides that the authoritative text of central acts, rules, regulations, etc., are published in Hindi as well in the official gazette by President of India.

Judiciary

The constitution provides, and the Supreme Court of India has reiterated, that all proceedings in the Supreme Court and the High Courts shall be in English. Parliament has the power to alter this by law but has not done so. However, in many high courts, there is, with consent from the president, allowance of the optional use of Hindi. Such proposals have been successful in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.

Administration

The Official Language Act provides that the Union government shall use both Hindi and English in most administrative documents that are intended for the public, though the Union government is required by law to promote the use of Hindi. names, among others, resolutions, general orders, rules, notifications, administrative or other reports or press communiques issued by a government department, agency or corporation; administrative and other reports and official papers laid before a House or the Houses of Parliament; and contracts and agreements executed, and licences, permits, notices and forms of tender issued by or on behalf of the government (including government companies). The Official Languages Rules, in contrast, provide for a higher degree of use of Hindi in communications between offices of the central government (other than offices in Tamil Nadu, to which the rules do not apply). Communications between different departments within the central government may be in English and Hindi (though the English text remains authoritative), although a translation into the other language must be provided if required. Communications within offices of the same department, however, must be in Hindi if the offices are in Hindi-speaking states, and in either Hindi or English otherwise with Hindi being used in proportion to the percentage of staff in the receiving office who have a working knowledge of Hindi. Notes and memos in files may be in English and Hindi (though the English text remains authoritative), with the Government having a duty to provide a translation into the other language if required.

Besides, every person submitting a petition for the redress of a grievance to a government officer or authority has a constitutional right to submit it in any language used in India.

  • 12 out of the 22 scheduled languages are made available in the official website of the Indian Prime Minister's Office, namely Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Meitei (Manipuri), Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu, in addition to English.
  • 15 out of the 22 scheduled languages are made available in the Press Information Bureau (PIB) by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India (GOI), namely Assamese, Bengali, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Meitei (Manipuri), Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu, in addition to English.
  • 14 out of the 22 scheduled languages are selected by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) of the Government of India, to be made available in the conduction of the Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff examination across the country, namely Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Meitei (Manipuri), Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu, in addition to English.

Implementation

Various steps have been taken by the Indian government to implement the use and familiarisation of Hindi extensively. Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha headquartered at Chennai was formed to spread Hindi in South Indian states. Regional Hindi implementation offices at Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Bhopal, Delhi and Ghaziabad have been established to monitor the implementation of Hindi in Central government offices and PSUs.

Annual targets are set by the Department of Official Language regarding the amount of correspondence being carried out in Hindi. A Parliament Committee on Official Language constituted in 1976 periodically reviews the progress in the use of Hindi and submits a report to the President. The governmental body which makes policy decisions and established guidelines for the promotion of Hindi is the Kendriya Hindi Samiti (est. 1967). In every city that has more than ten central Government offices, a Town Official Language Implementation Committee is established and cash awards are given to government employees who write books in Hindi. All Central government offices and PSUs are to establish Hindi Cells for implementation of Hindi in their offices.

In 2016, the government announced plans to promote Hindi in government offices in Southern and Northeast India.

The Indian constitution does not specify the official languages to be used by the states for the conduct of their official functions and leaves each state free to, through its legislature, adopt Hindi or any language used in its territory as its official language or languages. The language need not be one of those listed in the Eighth Schedule, and several states have adopted official languages which are not so listed. Examples include Kokborok in Tripura and Mizo in Mizoram.

Legislature and administration

The constitutional provisions in relation to use of the official language in legislation at the State level largely mirror those relating to the official language at the central level, with minor variations. State legislatures may conduct their business in their official language, Hindi or (for a transitional period, which the legislature can extend if it so chooses) English, and members who cannot use any of these have the same rights to their mother tongue with the Speaker's permission. The authoritative text of all laws must be in English unless Parliament passes a law permitting a state to use another language, and if the original text of a law is in a different language, an authoritative English translation of all laws must be prepared.

The state has the right to regulate the use of its official language in public administration, and in general, neither the constitution nor any central enactment imposes any restriction on this right. However, every person submitting a petition for the redress of a grievance to any officer or authority of the state government has a constitutional right to submit it in any language used in that state, regardless of its official status.

Besides, the constitution grants the central government, acting through the President, the power to issue certain directives to the government of a state in relation to the use of minority languages for official purposes. The President may direct a State to officially recognise a language spoken in its territory for specified purposes and in specified regions if its speakers demand it and satisfy him that a substantial proportion of the State's population desires its use. Similarly, States and local authorities are required to endeavour to provide primary education in the mother tongue for all linguistic minorities, regardless of whether their language is official in that State, and the President has the power to issue directions he deems necessary to ensure that they are provided these facilities.

State judiciary

States have significantly less freedom in relation to determining the language in which judicial proceedings in their respective High Courts will be conducted. The constitution gives the power to authorise the use of Hindi, or the state's official language in proceedings of the High Court to the Governor, rather than the state legislature and requires the Governor to obtain the consent of the President of India, who in these matters acts on the advice of the Government of India. The Official Languages Act gives the Governor a similar power, subject to similar conditions, in relation to the language in which the High Court's judgements will be delivered.

Four states—Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan— have been granted the right to conduct proceedings in their High Courts in their official language, which, for all of them, was Hindi. However, the only non-Hindi state to seek a similar power—Tamil Nadu, which sought the right to conduct proceedings in Tamil in the Madras High Court—had its application rejected by the central government earlier, which said it was advised to do so by the Supreme Court. In 2006, the law ministry said that it would not object to Tamil Nadu state's desire to conduct Madras High Court proceedings in Tamil. In 2010, the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court allowed lawyers to argue cases in Tamil.

Demands for additional official languages

At present, as per the Ministry of Home Affairs, there are demands for inclusion of 38 more languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. These are:

Official status in states and territories

Official languages of States

In addition to official languages, a few states also designate official scripts.

State Official language(s) Additional official language(s) Mandated scripts
Andhra Pradesh Telugu English, Urdu
Arunachal Pradesh English
Assam Assamese and Bodo Bengali in three districts of Barak Valley Bodo is officially written in the Devanagari script.
Bihar Hindi Urdu
Chhattisgarh Hindi Chhattisgarhi Devanagari
Goa Konkani, English Marathi
Gujarat Gujarati, Hindi
Haryana Hindi English, Punjabi Hindi should be written in Devanagari.

Punjabi should be written in Gurmukhi.

Himachal Pradesh Hindi Sanskrit Both Hindi and Sanskrit are written in Devanagari.
Jharkhand Hindi Angika, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Bhumij, Ho, Kharia, Khortha, Kurmali, Kurukh, Magahi, Maithili, Mundari, Nagpuri, Odia, Santali, Urdu
Karnataka Kannada
Kerala Malayalam English
Madhya Pradesh Hindi
Maharashtra Marathi Devanagari
Manipur Manipuri English Meetei mayek
Meghalaya English Khasi and Garo (associate official in districts)
Mizoram Mizo, English
Nagaland English
Odisha Odia English
Punjab Punjabi Gurmukhi
Rajasthan Hindi
Sikkim English, Nepali, Sikkimese, Lepcha Gurung, Limbu, Magar, Mukhia, Newari, Rai, Sherpa and Tamang
Tamil Nadu Tamil English
Telangana Telugu Urdu
Tripura Bengali, English, Kokborok
Uttar Pradesh Hindi Urdu
Uttarakhand Hindi Sanskrit
West Bengal Bengali, English Nepali in Darjeeling and Kurseong sub-divisions;
Urdu, Hindi, Odia, Santali, Punjabi, Kamtapuri, Rajbanshi, Kudmali/Kurmali, Kurukh and Telugu in blocks, divisions or districts with population greater than 10 per cent

Official languages of Union Territories

Union territory Official language(s) Additional official language(s)
Andaman and Nicobar Islands Hindi, English
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Gujarati
Delhi Urdu, Punjabi
Ladakh
Chandigarh English
Lakshadweep
Jammu and Kashmir Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi, Urdu, English
Puducherry Tamil, Telugu (in Yanam), Malayalam (in Mahe) English, French

Union–state and interstate communication communication rules

In places like railway stations, signboards are usually written in three languages - the state language (here Odia) and the two official languages Hindi and English.

The language of communications between different states or between the union government and a state or a person in a state, is regulated by the Official Languages Act and, except for communications involving Tamil Nadu, which are governed by the Official Languages Rules. Communication between states which have Hindi as an official language must be in Hindi, whereas communication between a state where Hindi is an official language and one where it is not Hindi and must be in English, or, in Hindi with an accompanying English translation (unless the receiving state agrees to dispense with the translation).

Communication between the union and states which use Hindi as their official language (classified by the Official Language Rules as "the states in Region A"), and with persons who live in those states, is generally in Hindi, except in certain cases. Communication with a second category of states "Region B", which do not have Hindi as an official language but have elected to communicate with the union in Hindi is usually in Hindi, while communications sent to an individual in those states may be in Hindi and English. Communication with all other states "Region C", and with people living in them, is in English.

Region A: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Communications from the Union are in Hindi.

Region B: Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab. Communications from the Union are in Hindi and English.

Region C: Others. Communications from the Union are in English only.

Arts and literature

See also

Notes

  1. Includes variants and dialects
  2. See Official languages of Puducherry
  3. In certain years, films of languages other than the scheduled languages also get eligible.

References

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