India’s Classical Language Conundrum:

**Samriddhi Shukla

“Every language is a temple, in which the soul of those who speak it is enshrined.”                                                                                                          

-Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes (The Professor at the Breakfast-table: With the Story of Iris)

India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. Each language represents a unique cultural heritage, reflecting the history and customs of its speakers. The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution was inserted to recognize India’s diverse linguistic fabric. It enlists 22 scheduled languages and a few designated classical languages. The government created Classical language as a new category of languages in 2004. A language is deemed classical to recognize its historical significance and role as a guardian of Bharat’s rich cultural and intellectual heritage. Recently, the Union Cabinet of India granted the status of classical language to five languages: Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. This brings the total number of classical languages in India to 11. This raises the question of whether the move was truly necessary and invites a broader examination of the status and relevance of classical languages as a whole.

Language has always been subjected to power dynamics and politics. Be it the ‘National language’ status or the ‘Three language formula’. Colonialism brought forth a condescension toward the Indian languages as the languages of Indian states were neglected. In the first few decades after independence, there were many linguistic riots in India. The reorganization of states on linguistic basis and clashes between supporters of Hindi and resistances to its ‘imposition’ as the ‘national’ language, especially from speakers of Tamil and other South Indian languages. Since then, we have been witnessing a tussle between languages. 

Currently, 38 languages are demanding to become scheduled languages in the constitution. If this is the current state of scheduled languages, one can easily imagine the even more precarious position of classical languages, especially when they come with many benefits, which will be later discussed in the article.

Conferring ‘classical’ status on a language has political implications, particularly when it comes to elections. Recognizing the cultural heritage of a specific linguistic group helps parties gain support in regions where language is a major component of identity. The demand for Tamil as a classical language has been long-standing. The unprecedented electoral sweep of the DMK-led alliance in the 2004 elections made the UPA government grant classical language status to Tamil. While Tamil’s claim to this status may be valid, the move to acknowledge it was seen as primarily driven by political reasons. Taking this cue, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh also demanded similar status for Kannada and Telugu. There are frequent concerns that the decision to add new languages to India’s list of classical languages has always had a more politicized angle than a purely cultural or linguistic one.     

Benefits of Classical languages

Languages recognized as ‘classical’ receive several benefits from the government. For instance: i) Two major international awards for scholars of eminence in classical Indian languages awarded annually ii) A Center of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages is set up. iii) The University Grants Commission be requested to create, to start with, at least in the Central Universities, a certain number of professional chairs for classical languages for scholars of eminence in classical Indian languages.

However, more claims will undoubtedly emerge, backed by questionable evidence and debatable theories regarding the origins of these languages. Such declarations, particularly when paired with substantial financial backing for teaching, research, and the creation of numerous lucrative positions, are certain to unleash Pandora’s box, inviting a wave of claims and counterclaims, which already seems to be the case. 

It should also be noted that when every passing year dozens of mother tongues are getting closer to extinction. Bolstering majoritarian language pride may be a useful electoral tool, but it is as harmful as dividing people on the lines of religion or caste.

The Not-so-Stringent Criteria

 What is more concerning is that the norms and criteria have been diluted over time to accommodate the languages in the classical language status. It is ironic how during the 1971 Census, it was agreed that if there are less than 10,000 speakers of a language, then the language should not be included in the Census report. However, Sanskrit was taken as an honourable exception. Going by the same argument that Sanskrit has been the base language of Indo-Aryan languages, the ‘classical language’ status was also endowed upon Tamil, which is regarded as the mother of Dravidian languages.

Though there are many initiatives already in place to protect the languages that are on the verge of extinction, conferring a classical status to languages that are widely spoken and prevalent is little questionable, keeping in mind the process that goes behind classifying the same.

 This is implicit in the fact that the framework as a whole was tweaked by the government in 2005 and 2024 subsequently.

The process of granting the status primarily involves the submission of a proposal by a state government requesting classical language status, the evaluation by the Linguistics Experts Committee, and the final decision by the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister of India.

These frequent changes aimed at appeasing specific linguistic and regional communities may inadvertently work to the disadvantage of the entire framework. Relaxing standards undermine the overall significance of the “classical” designation, which in turn gets compromised. This further takes resources and attention away from the languages that deserve the protection.

The Classic Language Quandary, and is the status really needed?

Although it has been stated that conferring classical status will strengthen the linguistic identity of speakers, boosting pride in their language’s contribution to national and global culture. It will also lead to the conservation of ancient literary texts, manuscripts, etc. and boost employment. But the same is applicable to other languages as well. With over Rs. 130 crore spent on the development of classical languages in the last 10 years, is it even feasible to include more classical languages?

(Source)

In R. Gandhi v. The Secretary to the Government, the petitioner challenged the classical status of languages such as Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odiya. The Madras High Court held that “the authority to recognize a language as a classical language is not fettered by any statute, but it is only a policy matter of the government, best left to the language experts, and the Court should not be called upon to embark on a journey of reviewing the opinions/recommendations of the Linguist Expert Committee.”

But should full autonomy be granted to the committee? The composition and role of the committee ask for a careful examination. Currently, the Linguistics Experts Committee consists of representatives of the Union Ministries of Home and Culture and four to five linguistic experts at any given time. It is chaired by the president of the Sahitya Akademi. If the focus remains on continuing with classical languages, we must consider whether the government should hold a formal role in the committee and if Sahitya Akademi has the requisite authority. Above all, we should critically evaluate whether there is indeed a need for a linguistic committee in its current form. We can also have renowned universities or linguistic research institutions establish a panel of scholars to evaluate languages based on linguistic heritage, historical texts, and cultural impact in order to ensure impartiality.

 Solutions and Way Forward

1. Alternative to Classical Language Declaration:

A tiered recognition system, akin to the way conservation statuses classify animal species (e.g., vulnerable, endangered), could be used in place of a binary categorization. Languages could be grouped according to their literary contributions, historical significance, and current vitality. By doing this, recognition would be guaranteed without elevating the classical status. Intermediate tiers could provide different levels of state assistance, including money for documentation, teaching, promotion and preservation.

2. Improving the Existing System:

• Establish clear and consistent guidelines to prevent arbitrary additions. Criteria like antiquity (1500–2000 years) and literary heritage should be applied rigorously.
• Restore and maintain the original literary tradition norm to ensure authenticity.
• Implement periodic re-evaluation of classical status criteria to balance cultural representation with stringency.
• Set a minimum volume of surviving texts as proof of documented legacy.

3. Ensuring Language Preservation Beyond Classical Status:

• Government support should extend to all languages, focusing on weaker ones through dedicated schemes.
• State funding and policies should promote linguistic preservation devoid of political motives.
• Broader engagement with Indian languages can enrich the discourse of democracy and cultural understanding.

Languages foster unity and understanding while celebrating diversity. They help in empowering communities by preserving traditions, history, and values. Hence, all languages must get the deserved status and recognition.

**Samriddhi Shukla is a fourth-year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) student at the Faculty of Law, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. She has a strong academic interest in constitutional law, with a particular focus on issues related to governance and fundamental rights. She actively engages in research-driven discourse, aiming to bridge the gap between law and public understanding. Through her work, she aspires to contribute meaningfully to society.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily align with the views of the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.