The Constitution contains special directives to protect the interests of linguistic minorities and to promote the development of the Hindi language. These provisions aim to maintain linguistic diversity and support the development of the Hindi language as a national language.
Protection of Linguistic Minorities
- Right to Submit Representation: Aggrieved individuals have the right to submit a representation for redressal of any grievance to any officer or authority of the Union or state in any language used in the Union or state. A representation cannot be rejected based on language.
- Facilities for Instruction in Mother-Tongue: Every state and local authority in the state must provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother-tongue at the primary stage of education to children belonging to linguistic minority groups. The president can issue directions for this purpose.
- Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities: The president appoints a special officer for linguistic minorities to investigate all matters related to constitutional safeguards for linguistic minorities and report to him. The president must place these reports before Parliament and forward them to the concerned state government.
Development of Hindi Language
- Promotion of Hindi Language: The Constitution imposes a duty on 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.
- Enrichment of Hindi: The Centre is directed to secure the enrichment of Hindi by assimilating forms, styles, and expressions used in Hindustani and other languages specified in the Eighth Schedule. It should draw its vocabulary primarily from Sanskrit and secondarily from other languages.
Eighth Schedule
The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution specifies 22 languages, initially listing 14 languages at its inception. The languages listed are Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri (Dongri), Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
- Sindhi was added by the 21st Amendment Act of 1967.
- Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali were added by the 71st Amendment Act of 1992.
- Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali were added by the 92nd Amendment Act of 2003.
Articles of Special Directives
350. Language to be used in representation for redress of grievances
350A. Facilities for instruction in mother-tongue at primary stage
350B. Special Officer for linguistic minorities
351. Directive for development of the Hindi language
