West Bengal demands to list Bengali as ‘classical language’

Subject: History

Section: Art and Culture

Context:

The Chief Minister said that based on scientific research, it has been established by her State team that Bengali had its origins 2,500 years ago.
She said that her government has sent four volumes of documents to the Ministry.

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.