Centre to Revise Criteria for Classical Language Status

Amidst the growing demand for many languages ​​including Marathi, the Central Government has decided to change the criteria for granting classical language status to the languages.

1. The Linguistics Expert Committee of the Union Culture Ministry has submitted a report suggesting changes in the criteria for according classical status to any language.

About Classical Language Status:

The current criteria evolved by the government to determine the declaration of a language as a classical language are:

1. High Antiquity: The language should have high antiquity in its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1,500-2,000 years.
2. Valuable Heritage: A body of ancient literature or texts that is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers.
3. Original Literary Tradition: The literary tradition should be original and not borrowed from another speech community.
4. Distinct Language and Literature: The language and literature should be distinct from its modern format; there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.

Benefits of Classical Language Status:

1. International Awards: Two major annual international awards for scholars of eminence in the said languages.
2. Centre of Excellence: A centre of excellence for studies in the classical language is set up.
3. Professional Chairs: The University Grants Commission is requested to create a certain number of Professional Chairs in Central universities for the languages that get the classical tag.

Classical Languages in India:

Till date, six languages have been conferred the status of ‘Classical Language’ in India:

1. Tamil: Declared in 2004
2. Sanskrit: Declared in 2005
3. Telugu: Declared in 2008
4. Kannada: Declared in 2008
5. Malayalam: Declared in 2013
6. Odia: Declared in 2014

Demand for Marathi:

1. The demand for classical language status for Marathi has been pending for over a decade.
2. In 2014, the then Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan constituted a committee comprising Marathi experts under the chairmanship of Prof. Ranganath Pathare, which submitted a report to the Centre.
3. The Pathare committee concluded that Marathi fulfils all the parameters to be recognised as a classical language.

Political Significance:

1. The upcoming Maharashtra Assembly election has renewed focus on the demand for classical language status for Marathi.
2. The Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra has formed a "persuasion" committee to liaise and pursue the matter with Central government officials.
3. The Congress party has also raised the demand for classical language status for Marathi, with party general secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeting about the issue.

Implications:

1. The revision of the criteria for classical language status may delay the decision on granting the special tag to languages like Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, and Maithili.
2. The decision has implications for the promotion and development of languages, as well as the cultural and literary heritage of India.
3. The move is seen as a significant step towards recognising the importance of languages in shaping India's cultural identity.
4. The issue also has political implications, with the demand for classical language status being seen as a matter of pride for the people of Maharashtra.

Timeline

1. 2014: The then Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan constitutes a committee to explore the possibility of granting classical language status to Marathi.
2. 2022: The Union Culture Minister G. Kishen Reddy informs Parliament that the proposal for classical status to Marathi is under active consideration of the Ministry of Culture.
3. 2023: The Linguistics Expert Committee submits a report suggesting changes in the criteria for according classical status to any language.

This revision is a significant step towards recognizing the cultural and historical significance of languages in India and may pave the way for more languages to gain classical status in the future.

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