Language of the Union

Language of the Union

Language of the Union

Language of the Union

- Constitution of India

Chapter I - Language of the Union

 

Article 343 Official language of the Union

(1) The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script.
The form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the Union shall be the international form of Indian numerals.
(2) Notwithstanding anything in clause (1), for a period of fifteen years from the commencement of this Constitution, the English language shall continue to be used for all the official purposes of the Union for which it was being used immediately before such commencement:
Provided that the President may, during the said period, by order authorise the use of the Hindi language in addition to the English language and of the Devanagari form of numerals in addition to the international form of Indian numerals for any of
the official purposes of the Union.
(3) Notwithstanding anything in this article, Parliament may by law provide for the use, after the said period of fifteen years, of -
(a) the English language, or
(b) the Devanagari form of numerals, for such purposes as may be specified in the law.

Article 344 Commission and Committee of Parliament on official language

(1) The President shall, at the expiration of five years from the commencement of this Constitution and thereafter at the expiration of ten years from such commencement, by order constitute a Commission which shall consist of a Chairman and such other members representing the different languages specified in the Eighth Schedule as the President may appoint, and the order shall define the procedure to be followed by the Commission.
(2) It shall be the duty of the Commission to make recommendations to the President as to -
(a) the progressive use of the Hindi language for the official purposes of the Union;
(b) restrictions on the use of the English language for all or any of the official purposes of the Union;
(c) the language to be used for all or any of the purposes mentioned in article 348;
(d) the form of numerals to be used for any one or more specified purposes of the Union;
(e) any other matter referred to the Commission by the President as regards the official language of the Union and the language for communication between the Union and a State or between one State and another and their use.
(3) In making their recommendations under clause (2), the Commission shall have due regard to the industrial, cultural and scientific advancement of India, and the just claims and the interests of persons belonging to the non-Hindi speaking areas in regard to the public services.
(4) There shall be constituted a Committee consisting of thirty members, of whom twenty shall be members of the House of the People and ten shall be members of the Council of States to be elected respectively by the members of the House of the People and the members of the Council of States in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
(5) It shall be the duty of the Committee to examine the recommendations of the Commission constituted under clause (1) and to report to the President their opinion thereon.
(6) Notwithstanding anything in article 343, the President may, after consideration of the report referred to in clause (5), issue directions in accordance with the whole or any part of that report.


Constitution of India

Preamble
Union and its Territory
Citizenship
Fundamental Rights
General Fundamental Rights
Right to Equality
Right to Freedom
Right against Exploitation
Right to Freedom of Religion
Cultural and Educational Rights
Saving of Certain Laws
Right to Constitutional Remedies
Directive Principles Of State Policy
Fundamental Duties
Union
Executive
President and Vice President
Council of Ministers
Attorney General for India
Conduct of Government Business
Parliament
General Parliament
Officers of Parliament
Conduct of Business
Disqualifications of Members
Parliament and its Members
Legislative Procedure
Procedure in Financial Matters
Procedure Generally
Legislative Powers of the President
Union Judiciary
Comptroller and Auditor General of India
General The States
Governor
Advocate General for the State
State Legislature
General State Legislature
Officers of the State Legislature
Powers Privileges and Immunities
Legislative Power of The Governor
High Courts in the States
Subordinate Courts
States in Part B of the First Schedule
Union Territories
Panchayats
Municipalities
Scheduled and Tribal Areas
Relations Between The Union and the States
Legislative Relations
Administrative Relations
General Administrative Relations
Disputes relating to Waters
Co ordination between States
Finance Property Contracts and Suits
Finance
General Finance
Distribution of Revenues
Miscellaneous Financial Provisions
Borrowing
Property Contracts Rights and Suits
Right to Property
Trade Commerce and Intercourse Within the Territory
Services Under the Union and the States
Services
Public Service Commissions
Tribunals
Elections
Special Provisions Relating to Certain Classes
Official Language
Language of the Union
Regional Languages
Language of the Supreme Court
Special Directives
Emergency Provisions
Miscellaneous
Amendment of the Constitution
Temporary Transitional and Special Provisions
Short Title Commencement Authoritative
First Schedule
Second Schedule
Second Schedule Part A
Second Schedule Part B
Second Schedule Part C
Second Schedule Part D
Second Schedule Part E
Third Schedule
Fourth Schedule
Fifth Schedule
Fifth Schedule Part A
Fifth Schedule Part B
Fifth Schedule Part C
Fifth Schedule Part D
Sixth Schedule
Seventh Schedule
Eighth Schedule
Ninth Schedule
Tenth Schedule
Eleventh Schedule
Twelfth Schedule
Appendix I
Appendix II
Constitution India Language Of The Union 2024
'India, that is Bharat': How Bharat is making its presence felt The Economic Times
How Bharat found a place in the Constitution, but came after India The Times of India
Hindi Diwas: How Constituent Assembly decided on Hindi as the official, and not national, language of India The Indian Express
How ‘India, that is Bharat’ was adopted in Constitution India Today