Centre set to tweak criteria for according classical language status

Centre set to tweak criteria for according classical language status

Sub: History

Sec: Art and Culture

Context : Amid a clamour for classical status for many languages, the Central government has decided to tweak the criteria for giving this special tag.

The Linguistics Expert Committee of the Union Culture Ministry submitted a report on October 10 last year, suggesting some tweaks and changes in the criteria for according classical status to any language,

The matter had been taken up after the Centre asked them to reconsider the rules. The issue was taken up first at a meeting on June 21, 2023. The new set of criteria will be officially notified by a gazette notification after it is approved by the Union Cabinet.

This in effect means that classical language status for certain languages, chiefly Marathi, which are under the consideration of the government, might have to wait till the new criteria is notified.

The Linguistics Expert Committee comprises representatives of the Union Ministries of Home, Culture and four to five linguistic experts at any given time. It is chaired by the president of the Sahitya Akademi.

Over the years, there have been demands from some States and literary circles for classical status to languages such as Marathi, Bengali, Assamese and Maithili. Of these, the case of Marathi has been pending for more than a decade.

About Classical language 

• Currently there are six languages that enjoy the ‘Classical’ status in India:
  • Tamil (declared in 2004), Sanskrit (2005), Kannada (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014).
• All the Classical Languages are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
• The Ministry of Culture provides the guidelines regarding Classical languages.

Guidelines for declaring a language as ‘Classical’

• High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years;
• A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers;
• The literary tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community;
• The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.

Benefits of classical language 

• Once a language is notified as a Classical language, the Human Resource and Development Ministry provides certain benefits to promote it:
  • Two major annual international awards for scholars of eminence in classical Indian languages
  • A Centre of Excellence for studies in Classical Languages is set up
  • The University Grants Commission is requested to create, to start with at least in the Central Universities, a certain number of Professional Chairs for the Classical Languages so declared.