CBSE · Class 10 · Social Science · Civics: FederalismExplain the linguistic diversity and language policy of India as a key aspect of Indian federalism.

Introduction to India's Linguistic Diversity\nA distinct feature of federalism in practice is how cultural and linguistic diversity is handled. India is a land of immense linguistic variety, which posed a unique challenge to the makers of the Indian Constitution.

Linguistic States

• Creation of States: The creation of linguistic states was the first and a major test for democratic politics in our country. From 1947 to 2019, many old states have vanished and many new states have been created.
• Boundaries Redrawn: Areas, boundaries, and names of states were changed. This was done to ensure that people who spoke the same language lived in the same state.
• Promoting Unity: Some states were created not on the basis of language but to recognize differences based on culture, ethnicity, or geography. Examples include Nagaland, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand.
• Success of Policy: The experience has shown that the formation of linguistic states has actually made the country more united and administration easier.

Language Policy of India

• No National Language: Our constitution did not give the status of national language to any one language. Hindi was identified as the official language. However, Hindi is the mother tongue of only about 40 percent of Indians.
• Scheduled Languages: Besides Hindi, there are 21 other languages recognized as Scheduled Languages by the Constitution. A candidate in an examination conducted for the Central Government positions may opt to take the examination in any of these languages.
• State Official Languages: States too have their own official languages. Much of the government work takes place in the official language of the concerned state.
• Continuation of English: Unlike Sri Lanka, the leaders of our country adopted a very cautious attitude in spreading the use of Hindi. According to the Constitution, the use of English for official purposes was to stop in 1965. However, many non-Hindi speaking states demanded that the use of English continue. Central government responded by agreeing to continue the use of English along with Hindi for official purposes.