National Language of India/Official Language of India

General Knowledge

National Language of India

Our Consitution did not give the status of national language to any one language. Hindi was definitely declared as the national language. But, Hindi is a language spoken by only 40% of the Indian population. So, this would be a problem for the rest of the majority of the population as everybody would be required to learn Hindi and this is not possible at all. The Constitution of India has stipulated the usage of Hindi and English to be the two official languages of communication for the national government. Additionally, it contains a list of 22 official languages (including Hindi and English). These languages are entitled to representation on the Official Language Commission, and a candidate in an examination conducted for national government service may opt to take the exam in any of these languages.

Official Language of India

Two languages are chosen to be the official languages used by the central administration:

  1. Hindi is the language used by the Central Government as per Article 343 when communicating with the states of Hindi Belt.
  2. English is the Associate official language and the language to be used while communicating with the states.

List of Official Scheduled Language of India

According to the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, 22 languages have been chosen to be the scheduled language of India. Hindi and English are the official languages.

Sr. NoLanguageRecognition in state
1AssameseAssam, Arunachal Pradesh
2BengaliWest Bengal, Tripura
3BodoAssam
4DogriOfficial language of Jammu and Kashmir
5GujaratiDadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Gujarat
6HindiAndaman and Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal
7KannadaKarnataka
KashmiriJammu and Kashmir
9KonkaniDadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala (The Konkan Coast)
10MaithiliBihar, Jharkhand
11MalayalamKerala, Lakshadweep, Puducherry
12ManipuriManipur
13MarathiMaharashtra, Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
14NepaliSikkim and West Bengal
15OdiaOfficial language of Orissa
16PunjabiOfficial language of Punjab and Chandigarh, 2nd official language of Delhi and Haryana
17SanskritHimachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand
18SantaliSpoken by Santhal people mainly in the state of Jharkhand as well as in the states of Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Odisha, Tripura, West Bengal
19SindhiGujarat and Maharashtra, especially Ulhasnagar
20TamilTamil Nadu, Puducherry
21TeluguAndhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry
22UrduJammu and Kashmir, Telangana, Jharkhand, Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal