The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the conferment of Classical Language status to five languages: Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. This decision acknowledges the vital role these languages play as custodians of India’s rich cultural heritage, reflecting the historical and cultural milestones of their respective communities.
Historical Background
On 12th October 2004, the Government of India introduced a new category of languages known as “Classical Languages,” with Tamil being the first language declared as such. The criteria established for a language to receive this status include:
- High Antiquity: The language must have early texts or recorded history spanning over a thousand years.
- Ancient Literature: There must be a body of ancient literature considered valuable heritage by generations of speakers.
- Original Literary Tradition: The literary tradition should be original and not borrowed from another speech community.
Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC)
In November 2004, the Ministry of Culture constituted a Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC) under the Sahitya Akademi to evaluate proposed languages for Classical Language status. In November 2005, the criteria were revised, leading to Sanskrit being recognized as a Classical Language, with the following updated criteria:
- High Antiquity: Recorded history spanning 1500-2000 years.
- Body of Ancient Literature: Must be a heritage valued by generations of speakers.
- Original Literary Tradition: The tradition must be original.
- Distinction from Modern Language: There may be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms.
Proposals for Marathi and Other Languages
In 2013, the Maharashtra Government submitted a proposal for Classical Language status for Marathi, which was forwarded to the LEC. The LEC subsequently recommended Marathi for this status. However, during inter-ministerial consultations in 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) advised revising the criteria to be stricter.
Simultaneously, proposals from Bihar, Assam, and West Bengal were submitted for Classical Language status for Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali.
Revised Criteria and Recommendations
On 25th July 2024, the Linguistic Experts Committee, under the Sahitya Akademi, revised the criteria, designating it as the nodal agency for these evaluations. The revised criteria are as follows:
- High Antiquity: Early texts or recorded history over 1500-2000 years.
- Body of Ancient Literature: Recognized as heritage by generations of speakers.
- Knowledge Texts: Inclusion of prose texts along with poetry, epigraphical, and inscriptional evidence.
- Distinction from Current Form: Classical languages and literature may be distinct from their current forms or have discontinuity with later forms.
The committee unanimously recommended the following languages for consideration as Classical Languages:
- Marathi
- Pali
- Prakrit
- Assamese
- Bengali
Initiatives for Promotion
The Ministry of Education has initiated several measures to promote Classical Languages:
- Established three Central Universities in 2020 for the promotion of the Sanskrit language.
- Set up the Central Institute of Classical Tamil to facilitate the translation of ancient Tamil texts and promote research.
- Established Centers for Excellence for studies in Classical Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia under the Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysuru.
- Instituted several national and international awards to recognize achievements in Classical Languages.
Benefits of Classical Language Inclusion
The inclusion of these languages as Classical Languages will lead to:
- Significant employment opportunities in academic and research fields.
- Preservation, documentation, and digitization of ancient texts, creating jobs in archiving, translation, publishing, and digital media.
States Involved
The primary states involved in this initiative include:
- Maharashtra for Marathi
- Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh for Pali and Prakrit
- West Bengal for Bengali
- Assam for Assamese
The broader cultural and academic impact of this decision will resonate both nationally and internationally.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs):
- What languages have been conferred the status of Classical Language?
- A) Tamil, Sanskrit, Hindi
- B) Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, Bengali
- C) Telugu, Kannada, Urdu
- D) Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi
Answer: B) Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, Bengali
- When was the decision to classify languages as Classical Languages first made?
- A) 2000
- B) 2004
- C) 2010
- D) 2017
Answer: B) 2004
- Which committee was established to evaluate languages for Classical Language status?
- A) Literary Committee
- B) Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC)
- C) Language Evaluation Committee
- D) Heritage Committee
Answer: B) Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC)
- What is one of the criteria for a language to be declared a Classical Language?
- A) Must be spoken by more than a million people
- B) High antiquity with recorded history over 1000 years
- C) Must have originated in India
- D) Must be used in government documents
Answer: B) High antiquity with recorded history over 1000 years
- Which of the following states is associated with the Marathi language?
- A) Assam
- B) Maharashtra
- C) Bihar
- D) West Bengal
Answer: B) Maharashtra