Official Language of the Union

Why in news?

• Hindi Diwas, celebrated on September 14 every year, aims to raise awareness about the language and also commemorate the event when it was adopted as one of the official languages of India.

Constitutional provisions related to official language::

• Part XVII of the Constitution deals with the official language in Articles 343 to 351.
• Its provisions are divided into four heads—Language of the Union, Regional languages, Language of the judiciary and texts of laws and Special directives.

Language of the Union:

• The Constitution contains the following provisions in respect of the official language of the Union.
  • Hindi written in Devanagari script is to be the official language of the Union. But, the form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the Union has to be the international form of Indian numerals and not the Devanagari form of numerals.
  • However, for a period of fifteen years from the commencement of the Constitution (i.e., from 1950 to 1965), the English language would continue to be used for all the official purposes of the Union for which it was being used before 1950.
  • Even after fifteen years, the Parliament may provide for the continued use of English language for the specified purposes.
  • At the end of five years, and again at the end of ten years, from the commencement of the Constitution, the president should appoint a commission to make recommendations with regard to the progressive use of the Hindi language, restrictions on the use of the English language and other related issues.
  • A committee of Parliament is to be constituted to examine the recommendations of the commission and to report its views on them to the president
    • In 1955, the president appointed an Official Language Commission under the chairmanship of BG Kher. The commission submitted its report to the President in 1956.
    • The report was examined by a committee of Parliament constituted in 1957 under the chairmanship of Gobind Ballabh Pant.
    • However, another Official Language Commission (as envisaged by the Constitution) was not appointed in 1960.
    • Subsequently, the Parliament enacted the Official Language Act in 1963. The act provides for the continued use of English (even after 1965), in addition to Hindi, for all official purposes of the Union and also for the transaction of business in Parliament.
    • Notably, this act enables the use of English indefinitely (without any time-limit). Further, this act was amended in 1967 to make the use of English, in addition to Hindi, compulsory in certain cases.

Development of Hindi Language:

• The Constitution imposes a duty upon the Centre to promote the spread and development of the Hindi language so that it may become the lingua franca of the composite culture of India.
• Further, the Centre is directed to secure the enrichment of Hindi by assimilating the forms, style and expressions used in hindustani and in other languages specified in the Eighth Schedule and by drawing its vocabulary, primarily on sanskrit and secondarily on other languages.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements:

1. Constitution imposes a duty upon the Centre to promote the spread and development of the Hindi language.

2. Constitution states the official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer