Six Languages Recognised As Classical Indian Languages: Check The List

This information was provided by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

Six Indian languages have been recognized as Classical Languages. Here are the languages and the years they were conferred this status:

• Tamil: 12.10.2004
• Sanskrit: 25.11.2005
• Kannada: 31.10.2008
• Telugu: 31.10.2008
• Malayalam: 08.08.2013
• Odia: 11.03.2014

Government Policy and Promotion Efforts

The Government of India aims to promote all Indian languages, including classical languages. The National Education Policy, 2020, emphasizes the promotion of all Indian languages. The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) focuses on promoting Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia. The Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) is dedicated to the development and promotion of Classical Tamil. Sanskrit is promoted through three Central Universities, which receive funds for teaching and research. However, no separate funds are allocated for the classical aspects of Sanskrit.

Budget Allocation for Classical Languages (Last 10 Years; in Rs. Lakhs)

Year	Kannada	Telugu	Odia	Malayalam	Tamil
2014-15	100.00	100.00			8.80
2015-16	100.00	100.00			11.89
2016-17	100.00	100.00			5.02
2017-18	100.00	100.00			10.27
2018-19	99.00	100.00			5.46
2019-20	107.00	107.00			9.83
2020-21	108.00	147.00	8.00	8.00	1200
2021-22	106.50	103.00	58.38	63.97	1200
2022-23	171.75	171.75	176.75	186.75	1200
2023-24	154.50	154.50	138.50	112.50	1525

No proposals have been received for Classical Malayalam language projects.

Published date : 22 Jul 2024 04:40PM