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GS Paper 1: Ancient art and culture, ancient literature GS Paper 2: Government Policies and Interventions |
Why in the News?
The Union Cabinet has approved recognizing five additional languages as “classical language” thereby expanding the list of India’s culturally significant languages.
In addition to the five languages, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali have now been added to this prestigious category.
What is a Classical Language?
Overview: In 2004, the Indian government began recognizing certain languages as “Classical Languages” to honor and preserve their ancient cultural and historical significance.
India now has 11 classical languages, each reflecting the country’s diverse cultural and historical milestones, and embodying the rich legacy of their respective communities.
Indian classical languages, also known as Shastriya Bhasha, are those with a deep historical foundation, a rich literary heritage, and a unique cultural significance.
Importance: These languages have been instrumental in shaping the intellectual and cultural landscapes of their regions.
Their literary works offer valuable insights into various disciplines, including literature, philosophy, and religion.
Criteria for Classical Language Status:
- Antiquity: The language must have ancient texts and a recorded history that spans over 1,500 to 2,000 years.
- Ancient Literature: The language should have a body of ancient texts or literature considered a valuable heritage by successive generations.
- Unique Knowledge Texts: The language should have an original literary tradition, not borrowed from another linguistic community.
- Distinct Evolution: The classical language should have evolved separately from its modern form, with a possible discontinuity between the classical and its modern descendants.
Beneficial provisions classified as a Classical Language:
Languages designated as “classical” receive several government-backed benefits designed to promote their study and preservation.
Two international awards are conferred annually to scholars who have made significant contributions to the study, teaching, or promotion of classical Indian languages. These awards are the Presidential Award of Certificate of Honour and the Maharshi Badrayan Samman Award.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) also supports the establishment of Professional Chairs at central universities and research institutions dedicated to classical Indian languages.
To protect and advance these languages, the government has established a Center of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages at the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) in Mysore.
Other Provisions for Language Promotion:
Eighth Schedule: This provision is aimed at promoting the progressive use, enrichment, and development of languages. It includes 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 establishment of a Commission by the President to promote the progressive use of Hindi, to be convened five years after the adoption of the Constitution.
Article 351: Mandates the Union’s responsibility to encourage the spread of Hindi.
Additional Efforts to Promote Indian Languages:
Project ASMITA: This initiative aims to produce 22,000 books in Indian languages over the next five years.
New Education Policy (NEP): The NEP includes a provision to transform Sanskrit universities into multidisciplinary institutions.
Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL): This institute is dedicated to promoting four classical languages: Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia.
Central Sanskrit Universities Bill, 2019: This bill granted central university status to three deemed Sanskrit universities: Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth (Delhi), and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth (Tirupati).
UPSC Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ):
- Consider the following languages: (2014)
- Gujarati
- Kannada
- Telugu
Which of the above languages has/have been declared as ‘Classical Language/Languages’ by the Government?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
Answer: (c)
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