The part that describes the
official language of the Indian democracy have to be written to
promote a feeling of unity among Indian citizens. As we know that
even today anywhere between 300 to 1,000 languages are spoken in
India, this makes an integral part of the Indian constitution.
The official language of India shall be Hindi in Devanagari script.
The form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the
Union shall be the international form of Indian numerals.
Notwithstanding anything in clause (1), for a period of
fifteen years from the commencement of this Constitution, the
English language shall continue to be used for all the official
purposes of the Union for which it was being used immediately before
such commencement: Provided that the President may, during the said
period, by order authorise the use of the Hindi language in addition
to the English language and of the Devanagari form of numerals in
addition to the international form of Indian numerals for any of the
official purposes of the Union.
Notwithstanding anything in this article, Parliament may by law
provide for the use, after the said period of fifteen years, of-
The English language, or
The Devanagari form of numerals, for such purposes as may be
specified in the law.
Regional
Languages:
Article 345. Official language or languages of a State:-
Subject to the provisions of articles 346 and 347, the Legislature
of a State may by law adopt any one or more of the languages in use
in the State or Hindi as the language or languages to be used for
all or any of the official purposes of that State:
Provided that, until the Legislature of the State otherwise
provides by law, the English language shall continue to be used for
those official purposes within the State for which it was being used
immediately before the commencement of this Constitution.
Article 346. Official language for communication between one
State and another or between a State and the Union: -
The language for the time being authorised for use in the Union for
official purposes shall be the official language for communication
between one State and another State and between a State and the
Union:
Provided that if two or more States agree that the Hindi language
should be the official language for communication between such
States, that language may be used for such communication.
Article 347. Special provision relating to language spoken
by a section of the population of a State: -
On a demand being made in that behalf the President may, if he is
satisfied that a substantial proportion of the population of a State
desire the use of any language spoken by them to be recognised by
that State, direct that such language shall also be officially
recognised throughout that State or any part thereof for such
purpose as he may specify.
Special Directives: -
Article 350. Language to be used in representations for
redress of grievances: -
Every person shall be entitled 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.
Article 350A. Facilities for instruction in mother-tongue at
primary stage: -
It shall be the endeavour of every State and of every local
authority within the State to provide adequate facilities for
instruction in the mother-tongue at the primary stage of education
to children belonging to linguistic minority groups; and the
President may issue such directions to any State as he considers
necessary or proper for securing the provision of such facilities.
Article 350B. Special Officer for linguistic minorities: -
There shall be a Special Officer for linguistic minorities to be
appointed by the President. It shall be the duty of the Special
Officer to investigate all matters relating to the safeguards
provided for linguistic minorities under this Constitution and
report to the President upon those matters at such intervals as the
President may direct, and the President shall cause all such reports
to be laid before each House of Parliament, and sent to the
Governments of the States concerned.
Article 351. Directive for development of the Hindi
language: -
It shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the
Hindi language, to develop it so that it may serve as a medium of
expression for all the elements of the composite culture of India
and to secure its enrichment by assimilating without interfering
with its genius, the forms, style and expressions used in Hindustani
and in the other languages of India specified in the Eighth
Schedule, and by drawing, wherever necessary or desirable, for its
vocabulary, primarily on Sanskrit and secondarily on other
languages.