Spread and development of Hindi is duty of the centre
Q. Which of the following statement/statements is/are true?
1) Hindi though being considered as the official language of India, it is optional for the centre to promote the spread and development of Hindi as some might consider it discrimination against other languages.
2) Hindi is the national language of India. However, though being the official language of India, it is used along with English.- Published on 16 Mar 17a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. None of the above
ANSWER: None of the above
- India has no national language.
- It only has official language i.e., Hindi.
- The Constitution contains certain special directives to protect the interests of linguistic minorities and to promote the development of Hindi language.
- The Constitution imposes a duty upon the centre to promote the spread and development of the Hindi language so that it may become the lingua franca of the composite culture of India.
- Further, the centre is directed to secure the enrichment of Hindi by assimilating the forms, style and expressions used in Hindustani and in other languages specified in the Eighth Schedule and by drawing its vocabulary, primarily on Sanskrit and secondarily on other languages.
- At present (2013), the Eighth Schedule of the constitution specifies 22 languages (originally 14 languages).
In terms of the Constitution provisions, there are 2 objectives behind the specification of the above regional languages in the Eighth Schedule -
1. the members of these languages are to be given representation in the Official Language Commission;
2. the forms, style and expression of these languages are to be used for the enrichment of the Hindi language.
Protection of Linguistic Minorities -
1. Every aggrieved person has the right to submit a representation for the redress of any grievance to any officer or authority of the Union or a state in any of the languages used in the Union or in the state, as the case may be.
2. This means that a representation cannot be rejected on the ground that it is not in the official language.
3. Every state and a local authority in the state should provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother-tongue at the primary stage of education to children belonging to linguistic minority groups.
4. The President can issue necessary directions for this purpose (added by the 7th Amendment Act of 1956 on the recommendation of the States Re-organisation Commission).
5. The President should appoint a special officer for linguistic minorities to investigate all matters relating to the constitutional safeguards for linguistic minorities and to report to him.
6. The President should place all such reports before the Parliament and send to the State Government concerned.
