Classical languages of India

The policy of the Government is to promote all Indian languages including classical languages. During October 2004, the Government released a notification regarding classification of languages as "Classical language". 

Ministry of Culture is the nodal agency for declaration of Classical languages. 

Criteria for declaration of Classical language

The criteria evolved by Government to determine declaration of a language as a Classical language is as under. Linguistics Experts Committee (under Sahitya Akademi) in a meeting on 25.07.2024, unanimously revised the criteria as below. 

• High antiquity of (its) is early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500- 2000 years.
• A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a heritage by generations of speakers.
• Knowledge texts, especially prose texts in addition to poetry, epigraphical and inscriptional evidence.
• Classical Languages and literature could be distinct from its current form or could be discontinuous with later forms of its offshoots.

The Government of India decided to create a new category of languages as "Classical Languages" on 12th October 2004 declaring Tamil as Classical Language and setting following as criteria for the status of Classical Language:

• High Antiquity of its early texts/ recorded history over a thousand years.
• A body of ancient literature/ texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generation of speakers.
• The literary tradition must be original and not borrowed from another speech community.

A Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC) in November 2004 revised criteria in Nov 2005 as following, and Sanskrit was declared as Classical Language:

• High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years.
• A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers.
• The literary tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community.
• The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.

Classical languages in India

11 Indian languages namely Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Odia have been accorded the status of Classical Language. The year in which these languages conferred the status of classical language is as given below :

1. Tamil - 12.10.2004
2. Sanskrit - 25.11.2005
3. Kannada - 31.10.2008
4. Telugu - 31.10.2008
5. Malayalam - 08.08.2013
6. Odia - 11.03.2014
7. Marathi
8. Pali
9. Prakrit
10. Assamese
11. Bengali

Promotion of Classical languages

• Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) works for the promotion of all Indian languages including four classical languages viz. Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Odia.
• Development and promotion of Classical Tamil is done by Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT). 
• The Government of India is promoting Sanskrit Language through three Central Universities. Funds are provided to these universities for teaching and research in Sanskrit language leading to award of degree, diploma, certificate to students and no separate funds are provided for undertaking any work related to classical aspect of Sanskrit. 
• Several national and internation awards have been instituted to recognize and encourage achievements in the field of Classical Languages. Benefits extended to Classical Languages by the Ministry of Education include National Awards for Classical Languages, Chairs in Universities, and Centers for promotion of Classical Languages.

The inclusion of languages as Classical Language will create significant employment opportunities, particularly in academic and research fields. Additionally, the preservation, documentation, and digitization of ancient texts of these languages will generate jobs in archiving, translation, publishing, and digital media.

Sources

1. Ministry of Culture
2. Center of Excellence for Studies in various classical languages - Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore
3. Central Institute of Classical Tamil