Languages of India

India is a diversified nation, with many cultures present in every region. A union of 28 states & 8 union territories, each with its own language and cultural history. As a result, there have been several discussions over the constitution’s history and the issue of the national tongue.

“The language spoken in India changes much like the quality of water changes very few kilometres in India,” is how it is claimed of the country’s tongue. India does not, however, have a national tongue because there is a significant distinction between an official or schedule language and a national tongue.

Hindi and English are Official Languages used by the Union Government

The Devanagari version of Hindi is the Union’s official language. According to Article 343 (1) of the Constitution, the International form of Indian numerals must be used for all official purposes of the Union. English is another language that can be utilised for official purposes in addition to Hindi. (From the Official Languages Act, Section 3)

Parliamentary business can be conducted in Hindi or English. However, in exceptional circumstances, either the Honorable Chairman of Rajya Sabha or the Honorable Speaker of Lok Sabha can allow any member to address the House in his or her home tongue (Article 120 of the Indian Constitution).

The Official Languages Act, 1963, the Official Language Rules, 1976, and the guidance issued periodically under them by Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Official Language, specify the purposes about which Hindi alone is to be used, the purposes for which Hindi & English are to be used together, and the purposes for which English language is to be used.

The Government of India has the position that encouraging the use of Hindi in official work can be accomplished by persuasion, rewards, and goodwill.

Hindi

Native speakers of Hindi makeup 41% of the population in the region known as the “Hindi Belt” in Northern India, which includes the nation’s capital, Delhi. It is spoken by many more people as a 2nd language.

It also serves as a common language for Indians who speak different native languages and is the primary working language of the Central Government. The Hindi phrasebook is the best choice if you can only afford one because it will help you get by in much of India.

Hindi is one among the 22 official Languages in the Country

English

The majority of government offices and big cities have English-speaking populations, and among educated Indians it serves as the common language.

Like French in Africa, English has been spoken by the Indians for long enough to develop its own vocabulary, rhythm, and intonation. Indeed, writers from the subcontinent like Vikram Seth, Arundhati Roy, and Salman Rushdie have received a lot of attention lately. Even though it is spoken with lilting stress and the intonation of the speaker’s other original tongue, the English you are likely to hear in India would be severely impacted by British English. Regional English accents may typically be distinguished by Indians.

India does not have a National Language

According to the Indian Constitution, the country doesn’t have an unique national tongue. According to Article 343 of the Indian Constitution, Hindi written in Devanagari script shall be the official language of the Union.

With the intention of providing languages to be used for official purposes by the Union Government, business transactions in Parliament, etc., the Official Languages Act of 1963 was passed. English is still utilised in official transactions even though Hindi has been designated as the official language of the Union Government. Given that several states do not have Hindi as their official language, the usage of English in official centre transactions has become crucial. To encourage the use of Hindi in official transactions in the government offices, the department of Official Languages within the Union Government has adopted a number of steps.

It appears that among the bilingual segments of society, Hindi and English are indeed blending. While English will continue to exist as a separate language for the time being, it seems that it will gradually blend into the immense cultural fabric of the sub-continent over hundreds of years.

Conclusion

Only one other nation in the world has more languages than India. There is a false belief or knowledge among the populace that Hindi is our nation’s official language. Only the Union and a few states in the nation have Hindi as their official language. There is no official language of India.

Even though a significant portion of the population now speaks Hindi and English, a sizable portion of the population is still illiterate in these languages. Certainly, the recent SC judgement in this regard warrants careful consideration.