SDG 4: Quality Education | SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Institutions: Ministry of Culture
The Indian Government has added Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali to the list of officially recognised “Classical Languages of India”, bringing the total to 11 languages in the category.
Previously, six languages (Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Odia) had already obtained the status between 2004 and 2024.
The designation reflects a language’s ancient heritage, rich literature, and distinct identity, and aims to promote preservation, research and teaching of these languages while honouring India’s pluralistic linguistic culture.
By expanding the classical-language list, India strengthens its cultural diplomacy, supports language preservation, and encourages educational and scholarly initiatives in regional languages — which can boost heritage tourism, language industry growth, and inclusive culture policy.
What does “Classical Language” status mean? → It is a recognition given by the government to languages that meet criteria like: long recorded history (over 1500 years), rich ancient literature, original literary tradition, and distinction from modern forms.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How will the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with state governments and academic bodies, convert this recognition into actionable programmes for research fellowships, curriculum integration, and digital archiving of these languages?
Follow the full news here:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2182753