Supreme Court Questions if English Can Be Considered an Indigenous Indian Language

The Supreme Court recently raised a thought-provoking question, asking if English could be considered an indigenous Indian language. This inquiry has sparked a broader debate on linguistic identity and constitutional provisions within the country.

This significant inquiry arose during a hearing concerning a petition challenging a Bar Council of India rule. The rule requires candidates for the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) to choose from a list of 22 specified languages, which does not explicitly include English as an 'Indian language' in that context. The petitioner argued that English, given its widespread use and historical integration into India's legal and administrative framework, warrants recognition beyond merely an official language.

Exam Insights & GK Analysis: For competitive exams like KPSC, UPSC, and banking, understanding the constitutional status of languages is crucial. Article 343 of the Indian Constitution designates Hindi in Devanagari script as the official language of the Union, while English is also an official language. Article 348 deals with the language to be used in the Supreme Court and High Courts. The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution recognizes 22 languages as 'scheduled languages', but English is not one of them. This legal distinction between 'official language' and 'scheduled language' is a key concept for aspirants. The first Official Language Commission in India was constituted in 1955 under the chairmanship of B.G. Kher.