Official Language: Constitutional Provisions and Debates

Introduction

India's linguistic diversity — with 22 scheduled languages and hundreds of dialects — posed a unique challenge for the Constituent Assembly. The official language debate was among the most contentious issues during constitution-making, balancing national unity with linguistic pluralism. The constitutional scheme under Part XVII (Articles 343-351) reflects this delicate compromise.

Constitutional Provisions

Hindi in Devanagari Script — The Official Language (Article 343)

• Article 343(1): Hindi in Devanagari script is the official language of the Union
• Article 343(2): English to continue as associate official language for 15 years (until 1965)
• Article 343(3): Parliament may by law provide for continued use of English after 1965

Official Language of the States (Article 345)

• State legislature may adopt any language(s) in use in the state as its official language
• Example: Urdu in Jammu & Kashmir (now UT), Kashmiri medium education

Official Language of the Supreme Court and High Courts (Article 348)

• Supreme Court: English is the language of proceedings
• High Courts: English; can use Hindi or other languages with Presidential approval
• Bills, Acts, Regulations: English text is authoritative

Language of Communication Between States (Article 346)

• Official language of the Union (Hindi) to be used for inter-state communication
• However, English continues in practice for many inter-state communications

Language of Communication Between Union and States (Article 346)

• Hindi and English both used in practice
• Use of Hindi encouraged but no compulsion

Special Directives (Articles 350-351)

• Article 350A: Adequate facilities for instruction in mother tongue at primary level
• Article 350B: Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities
• Article 351: Duty of the Union to promote the spread of Hindi

Evolution of Language Policy

Pre-1965 Phase (1947-1965)

• English continued as associate official language
• Gradual promotion of Hindi in government work
• Official Languages Act, 1963: English may continue beyond 1965 for official purposes

The 1965 Crisis

• November 1965: Anti-Hindi agitation in Tamil Nadu (then Madras State) against Hindi imposition
• Violent protests, self-immolations, political turmoil