Indian Polity
IGNCA’s Language Atlas
- 28 Feb 2024
- 12 min read
For Prelims: Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Eighth Schedule , Indian Languages
For Mains: Protection and Promotion of Indian Languages, Diversity of India
Why in News?
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, is planning a linguistic survey across India. The aim is to create a comprehensive 'Language Atlas' to showcase the linguistic diversity of the country.
How Linguistically Diverse is India?
- Historical Census Records:
- The first and most exhaustive Linguistic Survey of India (LSI) was carried out by Sir George Abraham Grierson and published in 1928.
- The 1961 Census of India recorded 1,554 languages spoken in India.
- The Census of 1961 was the most detailed with respect to linguistic data. In this Census, even languages with a single speaker were included in the records.
- Since 1971, languages spoken by fewer than 10,000 individuals have been omitted from the Indian Census, leaving the native tongues of 1.2 million people unrecorded.
- This exclusion disproportionately impacts tribal communities, whose languages are frequently absent from official records.
- India now officially recognizes 22 languages listed in Schedule 8 of the Indian Constitution.
- 2011 Census data indicates that 97% of the population speaks one of these officially recognized languages.
- Additionally, there are 99 non-scheduled languages, according to the 2011 Census and around 37.8 million people identify one of these languages as their mother tongue.
- There are 121 languages which are spoken by 10,000 or more people in India.
- Multilingualism in India:
- India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, this diversity offers a unique opportunity for Indians to be multilingual, which means being able to use more than one language in communication.
- According to the 2011 Census of India, more than 25% of the population speaks two languages, while about 7% speak three languages.
- Studies state that young Indians are more multilingual than their elder generation with about half the urban population aged 15 to 49 years speaking two languages.
- India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, this diversity offers a unique opportunity for Indians to be multilingual, which means being able to use more than one language in communication.
What are the Key Highlights of the Proposed Linguistic Survey?
- The survey will focus on enumerating the number of languages and dialects in India, including those that are extinct or on the verge of extinction.
- It aims to collect data at both the state and regional levels, with plans to digitally archive audio recordings of all languages spoken.
- It also proposes to digitally archive the audio recordings of all the languages spoken.
- Stakeholders in the survey include Ministries of Culture, Education, Tribal Affairs, and others, along with various language communities.
What is the Importance of a Linguistic Survey?
- Preservation of Cultural Heritage:
- Linguistic surveys help in identifying and documenting languages, dialects, and scripts, thereby preserving cultural heritage and linguistic diversity.
- Policy Formulation:
- Data from linguistic surveys informs policymakers about the linguistic needs of different communities, facilitating the formulation of language-related policies in education, governance, and cultural affairs.
- Education Planning:
- Knowledge about the languages spoken in different regions helps in designing educational programs that cater to diverse linguistic backgrounds, promoting inclusive education.
- Community Empowerment:
- Linguistic surveys empower linguistic minorities and marginalised communities by recognizing and validating their languages, contributing to their socio-economic and cultural well-being.
- Research and Documentation:
- Linguistic surveys serve as valuable resources for researchers, linguists, and anthropologists studying language evolution, dialectology, and language contact phenomena.
- Promotion of Multilingualism:
- By raising awareness about the richness of linguistic diversity, linguistic surveys promote multilingualism and foster a sense of pride in one's language and cultural identity.
What are the Constitutional Provisions Related to Language?
- Eighth Schedule:
- The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the official languages of India. It includes 22 languages recognized as official languages.
- Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi,Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili and Dogri.
- The Eighth Schedule also includes six classical languages currently:
- Tamil (declared in 2004), Sanskrit (2005), Kannada (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014).
- Part XVII of the Indian Constitution deals with the official languages of India in Articles 343 to 351.
- The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the official languages of India. It includes 22 languages recognized as official languages.
- Language of The Union:
- Article 120: Deals with the language to be used in Parliament.
- Article 210: Similar to Article 120 but applies to the State Legislature.
- Article 343: Declares Hindi in Devnagari script as the official language of the Union.
- Article 344: Establishes a Commission and Committee of Parliament on official language.
- Regional Languages:
- Article 345: Allows the state legislature to adopt any official language for the state.
- Article 346: Specifies the official language for communication between states and between states and the Union.
- Article 347: Allows the President to recognize any language spoken by a section of the population of a state if demanded.
- Special Directives:
- Article 29: It protects the interests of minorities. It states that any section of citizens with a distinct language, script, or culture has the right to preserve it.
- The article ensures that no citizen can be denied admission to any educational institution funded by the State solely based on factors such as religion, race, caste, or language.
- Article 350: Ensures that every person has the right to submit a representation for the redress of any grievance in any language used in the Union or the State.
- Article 350A: Directs States to provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage of education to children belonging to linguistic minority groups.
- Article 350B: Establishes a Special Officer for linguistic minorities appointed by the President, tasked with investigating matters relating to safeguards provided for linguistic minorities under the Constitution.
- Article 29: It protects the interests of minorities. It states that any section of citizens with a distinct language, script, or culture has the right to preserve it.
What are the Major Challenges to Linguistic Diversity of India?
- Linguistic Hegemony:
- The dominance of certain languages over others, both politically and socially, poses a threat to linguistic diversity. Languages with greater political and economic power may overshadow minority languages, leading to their decline and endangerment.
- One of the significant challenges to linguistic diversity in India is the perception of Hindi as a dominant language, leading to its imposition in non-Hindi speaking regions.
- Identity Politics and Tensions:
- Linguistic diversity can sometimes fuel identity politics and tensions, leading to conflicts between linguistic groups over language policies and rights.
- Attempts to impose or privilege certain languages may provoke resistance and unrest among linguistic minorities, resulting in social discord.
- Lack of Preservation Efforts:
- Many indigenous and tribal languages face the risk of extinction due to a lack of preservation efforts and support from governments and institutions.
- Without adequate documentation and revitalization efforts, these languages may disappear, resulting in the loss of cultural heritage and identity.
- Inadequate Language Education Policies:
- Insufficient emphasis on promoting and preserving regional languages in education policies can lead to a decline in proficiency and usage among younger generations.
- The focus on a limited number of languages in educational institutions may neglect the linguistic diversity present in the country.
- Urbanisation and Globalisation:
- Rapid urbanisation, globalisation, and the influence of dominant cultures can contribute to the erosion of indigenous languages and cultures.
- As younger generations shift towards dominant languages and cultures, there is a risk of losing traditional knowledge, customs, and cultural practices associated with regional languages.
- Limited Access to Resources in Minority Languages:
- Minority languages often lack resources such as literature, media, and technology in their respective languages.
- This limited access to resources hampers the development and preservation of minority languages, making them vulnerable to extinction.
Way Forward
- Implement policies that promote education in regional languages alongside Hindi and English. Encourage multilingual education to ensure students are proficient in their native language and a widely spoken language.
- Review and revise educational policies to ensure support for multilingualism and the preservation of regional languages.
- Establish standards for regional languages and support efforts to document and preserve endangered languages through oral history preservation, linguistic research, and digital archives.
- Empower linguistic communities to take ownership of their languages through community-driven language revitalization projects.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)
Prelims
Q. Consider the following statements:(2021)
- 21st February is declared to be the International Mother Language Day by UNICEF.
- The demand that Bangla has to be one of the national languages was raised in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (b)
Q2. With reference to India, the terms ‘HaIbi, Ho and Kui’ pertain to (2021)
(a) dance forms of Northwest India
(b) musical instruments
(c) pre-historic cave paintings
(d) tribal languages
Ans: (d)
Q.3 Which one of the following was given classical language status recently? (2015)
(a) Odia
(b) Konkani
(c) Bhojpuri
(d) Assamese
Ans: (a)