Classical Language Demand for Maithili

• 12 Oct 2024

Why in News?

Recently, the Janata Dal (United) party in Bihar has formally demanded the Indian government grant classical language status to Maithili, following the inclusion of several other languages in this category.

Key Points

• Languages Recognized: The central government has recently granted classical language status to languages including Marathi, Bengali, Pali, Prakrit, and Assamese.
  • Previously, languages such as Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia were recognized as classical.
• Historical Context: Maithili has a literary history of around 1,300 years, and the state has demanded it to be classified as a classical language.
  • An expert committee constituted by the government had made 11 recommendations in August 2018, including the inclusion of Maithili in classical languages.
• Understanding Classical Languages:
  • The term "Indian classical languages," or "Semmozhi," refers to languages with a long history and a rich literary legacy. Eleven languages are recognized as classical languages in India.
  • The recognized classical languages include:
    • Tamil (2004)
    • Sanskrit (2005)
    • Telugu (2008)
    • Kannada (2008)
    • Malayalam (2013)
    • Odia (2014)
    • Marathi (2024)
    • Bengali (2024)
    • Pali (2024)
    • Prakrit (2024)
    • Assamese (2024)
  • Significance of Classical Language Status: According to a government resolution from 1^st November, 2004, classical languages hold significant importance, which includes:
    • Annual international awards for scholars of classical Indian languages.
    • Establishment of Centers of Excellence for Classical Language Studies.
    • The University Grants Commission will create professional chairs for distinguished scholars in classical languages, starting with central universities.
  • Criteria for Declaring a Language as Classical: As per the Ministry of Culture, the criteria for a language to be declared classical include:
    • Age of the Language: The language must have a documented history or early texts between 1,500 and 2,000 years old.
    • Cultural Value: It should possess ancient literature that its speakers regard as part of their cultural legacy.
    • Originality: The literary heritage must be original and not borrowed from other languages.
    • Discontinuity: There should be a clear distinction between the classical language and its modern forms, indicating a potential discontinuity in its development.

Other Provisions to Promote Language

• Eighth Schedule: To encourage the continued development, enhancement, and promotion of the language. 8^th Schedule consists of 22 languages:
  • Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili and Dogri.
• Article 344 (1) provides for the constitution of a Commission by the President on the expiration of five years from the commencement of the Constitution for the progressive use of Hindi .
• Article 351 provides that it shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language
• Other Efforts to Promote Languages:
  • Project ASMITA: The project ASMITA aims to produce 22,000 books in Indian languages within five years.
  • New Education Policy (NEP): The NEP policy aims to turn Sanskrit universities into multi-disciplinary institutions.
  • Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL): This institute works to promote four classical languages: Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia.