This article covers SSC Polity Official Languages PPT Slides (LEC #20) – Official Languages (आधिकारिक भाषाएँ), part of the Complete Foundation Batch PPT Series at slideshareppt.net. Official Languages is a high-scoring topic in SSC CGL, CHSL, CPO, and MTS exams. Questions are asked on Part XVII (Articles 343–351), the 8th Schedule (22 languages), which language was added by which amendment, Classical Language status, Hindi Diwas, and whether Hindi is the national language. This article covers all exam-relevant content from the 114-slide PPT.
SSC Polity Official Languages PPT Slides (LEC #20)
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1. Official Languages – Introduction
India is a multilingual country with hundreds of languages and dialects
Part XVII of the Constitution (Articles 343–351) deals with Official Languages
Hindi in Devanagari script is the official language of the Union of India (Article 343)
IMPORTANT: India has NO national language – Hindi is only the official language of the Union
The 8th Schedule of the Constitution lists 22 languages that are recognised as official languages
The Constitution was drafted during a period of intense debate about language – Constituent Assembly debates on language were among the most heated
Article 120: Language to be used in Parliament – Hindi or English; presiding officer may permit use of member’s mother tongue
2. Key Constitutional Articles – Official Languages (Part XVII)
Article
Subject
Article 343
Official language of the Union – Hindi in Devanagari script; numerals – international form of Indian numerals; English to continue for 15 years from commencement (later extended by Parliament)
Article 344
Commission and Committee of Parliament on official language – President constitutes a Commission every 10 years
Article 345
Official language of a State – state legislature may by law adopt any one or more languages in use in the state OR Hindi as official language
Article 346
Official language for communication between states and between a state and the Union – English; or Hindi if both states agree; if state uses Hindi, Union uses Hindi
Article 347
Special provision related to language spoken by substantial proportion of population of a state – President may direct if satisfied this is necessary
Article 348
Language to be used in the Supreme Court, High Courts, and for Bills, Acts, Ordinances – English; but Governor may authorise use of Hindi or state official language in HC with President’s consent
Article 349
Special procedure for enactment of certain laws relating to language – no Bill for amending Article 348 without President’s consideration of the Language Commission’s recommendations
Article 350
Right to submit representations for redress of grievances to any Union or State authority in any language used in the Union or in the State
Article 350A
Endeavour to provide facilities for instruction in mother tongue at primary stage to children belonging to linguistic minority groups
Article 350B
Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities – appointed by President; reports to President annually; President lays reports before Parliament
Article 351
Directive for development of the Hindi language – Union shall promote the spread of Hindi; develop it so it can serve as medium of expression for all elements of composite culture of India
3. Article 343 – Official Language of the Union
Hindi in Devanagari script shall be the official language of the Union
Numerals: International form of Indian numerals (1, 2, 3… NOT Devanagari numerals)
English was to continue for 15 years from 26 January 1950 (i.e., till 1965) for all official purposes
Parliament could extend the use of English beyond 15 years by law
Official Languages Act 1963 (amended 1967): English to continue to be used for all official purposes of the Union alongside Hindi
English continues to be used alongside Hindi even today because of this Act
Official Languages Act also provides that Hindi shall be used in communications between states that are Hindi-speaking
4. Eighth Schedule – 22 Official Languages of India (Complete List)
The 8th Schedule lists the recognised official languages of India. Originally 14 languages in 1950; currently 22 after three additions:
S.No.
Language
Family / Region
When Added
1
Assamese (অসমীয়া)
Indo-Aryan – Assam
Original (1950)
2
Bengali (বাংলা)
Indo-Aryan – West Bengal, Tripura
Original (1950)
3
Bodo (बड़ो)
Sino-Tibetan – Assam
92nd Amendment 2003
4
Dogri (डोगरी)
Indo-Aryan – J&K
92nd Amendment 2003
5
Gujarati (ગુજરાતી)
Indo-Aryan – Gujarat
Original (1950)
6
Hindi (हिंदी)
Indo-Aryan – North India (official language of Union)
Original (1950)
7
Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ)
Dravidian – Karnataka
Original (1950)
8
Kashmiri (کٲشُر)
Indo-Aryan – J&K
Original (1950)
9
Konkani (कोंकणी)
Indo-Aryan – Goa, Karnataka
71st Amendment 1992
10
Maithili (मैथिली)
Indo-Aryan – Bihar, Jharkhand
92nd Amendment 2003
11
Malayalam (മലയാളം)
Dravidian – Kerala
Original (1950)
12
Manipuri / Meitei (মৈতৈলোন্)
Sino-Tibetan – Manipur
71st Amendment 1992
13
Marathi (मराठी)
Indo-Aryan – Maharashtra
Original (1950)
14
Nepali (नेपाली)
Indo-Aryan – Sikkim, West Bengal
71st Amendment 1992
15
Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ)
Indo-Aryan – Odisha
Original (1950)
16
Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ)
Indo-Aryan – Punjab
Original (1950)
17
Sanskrit (संस्कृत)
Indo-Aryan – Classical language
Original (1950)
18
Santali (ᱥᱟᱱᱛᱟᱲᱤ)
Austro-Asiatic – Jharkhand, Odisha
92nd Amendment 2003
19
Sindhi (سنڌي / सिन्धी)
Indo-Aryan – Scattered
21st Amendment 1967
20
Tamil (தமிழ்)
Dravidian – Tamil Nadu
Original (1950)
21
Telugu (తెలుగు)
Dravidian – Andhra Pradesh, Telangana
Original (1950)
22
Urdu (اردو)
Indo-Aryan – UP, Bihar, J&K
Original (1950)
5. Amendments Adding Languages to 8th Schedule
Amendment
Year
Language(s) Added
21st Amendment
1967
Sindhi
71st Amendment
1992
Konkani, Manipuri (Meitei), Nepali
92nd Amendment
2003
Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali
No further additions
—
Total remains 22 (as of 2024)
Languages Demanding Inclusion in 8th Schedule
Several languages are seeking inclusion in the 8th Schedule but have not yet been added:
Bhojpuri – widely spoken in UP and Bihar; strong demand
Tulu – spoken in coastal Karnataka and Kerala
Rajasthani – spoken in Rajasthan; includes Marwari, Mewari, Dhundhari
Kokborok – official language of Tripura (along with Bengali)
Gondi – spoken by Gond tribe in central India
6. Classical Languages of India
A language is given ‘Classical’ status based on criteria: high antiquity of early texts (over 1500–2000 years), a body of ancient literature, original literary tradition not borrowed from another speech community, and the classical language being distinct from modern forms.
Language
Year Declared Classical
Key Criterion
Tamil
2004
First language to get Classical status; 2000+ year literary tradition
Sanskrit
2005
Ancient literary tradition; source of many Indian languages
Kannada
2008
Literary works dating back 2500 years
Telugu
2008
Rich literary tradition; inscriptions dating to 400 BC
Malayalam
2013
Distinct literary tradition separate from Tamil
Odia
2014
Literary tradition over 1500 years
Marathi
2024
Over 1300 years of literary history; added by Union Cabinet
Pali
2024
Ancient Buddhist language; added along with Marathi (Oct 2024)
Prakrit
2024
Ancestor of many modern Indian languages; added Oct 2024
Assamese
2024
Over 1500 years of literary tradition; added Oct 2024
Bengali
2024
Rich literary tradition; Rabindranath Tagore; added Oct 2024
Benefits of Classical Language Status
Two national awards given annually to distinguished scholars of Classical Languages
Centre for Excellence for the study of Classical Languages set up in central universities
Grants given by University Grants Commission (UGC) to universities for Classical Language studies
Separate research centre established for each Classical Language
7. Article 344 – Official Language Commission and Committee
President shall constitute an Official Language Commission every 10 years
Commission’s role: recommend progressive use of Hindi for official purposes of Union; restrict use of English
Commission considers: industrial, cultural, and scientific development of India; just claims and interests of non-Hindi speakers
A Committee of Parliament (30 members from LS + 20 from RS) examines the Commission’s recommendations
President issues directions based on Committee’s report
SSC Polity Official Languages PPT Slides (LEC #20)
8. Official Languages of Indian States
State / UT
Official Language(s)
Andhra Pradesh
Telugu
Arunachal Pradesh
English
Assam
Assamese, Bengali, Bodo
Bihar
Hindi, Urdu, Maithili
Chhattisgarh
Hindi
Goa
Konkani (English and Marathi also used)
Gujarat
Gujarati
Haryana
Hindi
Himachal Pradesh
Hindi
Jharkhand
Hindi (Santali, Bengali, Urdu, Odia and others also recognised)
Karnataka
Kannada
Kerala
Malayalam
Madhya Pradesh
Hindi
Maharashtra
Marathi
Manipur
Meitei (Manipuri), English
Meghalaya
English, Khasi, Garo
Mizoram
Mizo, English, Hindi
Nagaland
English
Odisha
Odia
Punjab
Punjabi
Rajasthan
Hindi
Sikkim
Nepali, Sikkimese, Lepcha; English also
Tamil Nadu
Tamil
Telangana
Telugu, Urdu
Tripura
Bengali, Kokborok, English
Uttar Pradesh
Hindi, Urdu
Uttarakhand
Hindi, Sanskrit
West Bengal
Bengali
Delhi (NCT)
Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu
J&K (UT)
Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi, Urdu, English
Multi-lingual States and Union Territories
Several states have more than one official language to accommodate diverse linguistic groups
J&K (UT): Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi, Urdu, English – five official languages (most in any state/UT)
