NEWS – The Union Cabinet has declared Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit as classical languages

HIGHLIGHTS

Classical Language Criteria

The Linguistic Experts Committee established revised benchmarks for a language to be declared classical:

• Antiquity: The language must have early texts or recorded history spanning 1,500–2,000 years.
• Body of Literature: A significant body of ancient literature or texts recognized as heritage by generations of speakers.
• Knowledge Texts: Must include prose, poetry, epigraphical, and inscriptional evidence.
• Distinctiveness: The classical form of the language must be distinct from its modern usage or have a discontinuity with later forms.

Timeline of Recognition

• 2004: Tamil was declared the first classical language.
• Subsequent Recognitions:
  • Sanskrit (2005)
  • Telugu (2008)
  • Kannada (2008)
  • Malayalam (2013)
  • Odia (2014)

Recent Additions (2024)

The recent inclusion of Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit followed an extensive review and consultation:

• 2013: Maharashtra government proposed Marathi for classical status.
• 2017: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) advised revising the criteria.
• 2024: Sahitya Akademi’s Linguistic Experts Committee revised the criteria, leading to the inclusion of these five languages.

Benefits of Classical Language Status

Once recognized as classical, the language gains several benefits, including:

• International Awards: Two major annual awards for scholars of the language.
• Centres of Excellence: Establishment of specialized centres for research and promotion.
• Academic Support: University Grants Commission (UGC) may establish professional chairs in central universities for the language.