SYLLABUS:
GS-2: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
Context:
India observes Hindi Diwas on September 14 every year to commemorate the Constituent Assembly’s decision to adopt Hindi as the official language of the Union government.
More on the News
- On this occasion the Home Minister presented the Rajbhasha Kirti Award (first prize) to the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) at Mahatma Mandir Convention & Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
- The award was conferred by the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs for the best performance in Hindi among Ministries/Departments with fewer than 300 personnel for 2024–25.
- This marks the second consecutive year that DARPG has received the award.
Historical Background
The choice of official language was among the most contentious debates in the Assembly, reflecting the challenge of reconciling linguistic diversity with the need for administrative unity.
The Constituent Assembly on September 14, 1949 designated Hindi as the official but not as the national language of the country after extensive discussions over three days.
- Hindustani (Hindi with more Urdu elements) and Sanskrit were among those proposed as official languages.
Munshi-Ayyangar formula
- This formula (named after Drafting Committee members K M Munshi and N Gopalaswamy Ayyangar) was a linguistic compromise reached by the Constituent Assembly in 1949 which laid foundation for Article 343 in the Indian Constitution
- It was discussed in the Assembly on 12, 13, and 14 September 1949.
Munshi–Ayyangar Formula
After prolonged discussions, this formula was adopted as a middle path.
Article 343 of the Constitution declared:
- Hindi in the Devanagari script as the official language of the Union.
- The form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the Union shall be the international form of Indian numerals.
- Continuation of English for official purposes 15 years from the commencement of the Constitution.
Language Policy Legacy
- When the 15-year deadline ended in 1965, widespread protests broke out over the fear of imposition of Hindi in the large parts of non-Hindi speaking India, particularly in Tamil Nadu.
- The Union government responded with the Official Languages Act, 1963 (amended in 1967) which ensured that English would continue indefinitely alongside Hindi for Union purposes.
- This compromise reflected the pragmatic spirit of the Constitution-makers, who sought to balance the ideal of national integration with the reality of India’s linguistic pluralism.
- Today, the official language debate remains a reminder of how linguistic diversity is both a strength and a challenge in building a unified India.
