Part XVII: Official Language Provisions (Articles 343 to 351)
Language of the Union
- Article 343: Hindi in Devanagari script is the official language of the Union. The international form of Indian numerals is used for official purposes.
- Article 343(2): For 15 years from the commencement of the Constitution (1950 to 1965), English continued to be used for all official purposes of the Union as it was before 1950.
- Article 343(3): Parliament may provide for the continued use of English for specified purposes even after the initial 15 years.
- Article 344: The president should appoint a commission after five and ten years of the Constitution's commencement to recommend the progressive use of Hindi, restrictions on the use of English, and related issues. A parliamentary committee is formed to review the commission's recommendations and report its views to the president.
Key Developments
- 1955: Official Language Commission appointed under the chairmanship of B.G. Kher.
- 1956: The commission submitted its report to the president.
- 1957: Parliamentary committee chaired by Gobind Ballabh Pant examined the commission's report.
- Official Languages Act (1963): Enabled the continued use of English, in addition to Hindi, for official purposes and business in Parliament beyond 1965.
- 1967 Amendment: Made the use of English, in addition to Hindi, compulsory in certain cases. This amendment allowed for the indefinite use of English as an official language.
The provisions under Part XVII ensure a balance between the use of Hindi and English in the official functioning of the Union, while also outlining the conditions and limits for their use.
Articles of Language of the Union
343. Official language of the Union
344. Commission and Committee of Parliament on official language