PM Modi Cabinet Approves Five New Classical Languages, Including Marathi, Assamese, And Bengali

The Union Cabinet has granted classical language status to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. This decision aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of valuing India's cultural heritage and languages. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted this during a cabinet briefing. The recognition of these languages as classical is seen as a step towards preserving India's rich linguistic traditions.

The government emphasised that classical languages are vital in safeguarding India's ancient cultural heritage. These languages reflect the historical and cultural achievements of their communities. The inclusion of Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali in this category is expected to boost employment opportunities in academia and research. Additionally, jobs in archiving, translation, publishing, and digital media will arise from preserving and digitising ancient texts.

Impact on States and Employment

The primary states involved include Maharashtra for Marathi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh for Pali and Prakrit, West Bengal for Bengali, and Assam for Assamese. The cultural and academic influence of this decision will extend both nationally and internationally. The government anticipates significant job creation in various sectors related to these languages.

In 2004, the Indian government established a new category for classical languages. Tamil was the first to receive this status based on criteria such as antiquity of texts over a thousand years old and a rich literary tradition. Subsequently, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia were also recognised as classical languages. A Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC) was formed under Sahitya Akademi to evaluate languages for this status.

Revised Criteria for Classical Status

The criteria for classical language status were revised in 2005. In 2013, Maharashtra proposed Marathi for this recognition. The LEC recommended it after reviewing the proposal. Upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra have made this a significant political issue in the state. In 2017, during inter-ministerial consultations on conferring classical status to Marathi, the Home Ministry suggested stricter criteria.

Proposals from Bihar, Assam, and West Bengal were also received for Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. On July 25, 2024, the LEC under Sahitya Akademi revised the criteria unanimously. Sahitya Akademi acts as the nodal agency for the LEC's recommendations on these languages' classical status.

Promotion of Classical Languages

The Education Ministry has initiated several measures to promote classical languages. In 2020, three central universities were established by an Act of Parliament to support Sanskrit language promotion. The Central Institute of Classical Tamil was created to translate ancient Tamil texts and offer courses for students and scholars.

To further support the study of classical languages like Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia, Centres for Excellence were set up under the Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysuru. These initiatives aim to enhance research and education related to India's classical languages.

This decision by the Union Cabinet underscores India's commitment to preserving its linguistic heritage while creating new opportunities in education and employment related to these ancient languages.