Why in news? The Karnataka government has constituted a committee under educationist Mohan Alva on declaring Tulu as Karnataka’s second official language.

Highlights:

• The committee has been asked to study and submit a report to the government
• Recognising Tulu as a state language in Karnataka could give a major boost to the demand to have it under the 8th Schedule, which lists official languages of India.
• If Tulu becomes the second official language of the state, it will be established as an administrative language as well.
• The government’s move complements the provision in the Constitution to accept more than one language as the official language of a state

About official language of state

• According to Article 345, subjected to 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
• 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

About Tulu

• Tulu is a Dravidian language whose speakers are concentrated in Dakshina Kannada and the southern part of Udupi of Karnataka in south-western India and in the northern parts of the Kasaragod district of Kerala.