Criteria for Classical Language Status
Kartavya Desk Staff
- •Source: TH*
Context: The Union Cabinet’s decision to accord classical language status to five new languages, including Marathi and Bengali, came after a key provision, which mandated that a language must have original literary tradition, was dropped.
Background on criteria for Classical Language Status:
• In 2004, the Government of India, for the first time, created a new category of languages known as Classical Languages. It set the following as criteria for the status of Classical Language: High antiquity of its early texts/ recorded history over a thousand years. A body of ancient literature/ texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generation of speakers. The literary tradition must be original and not borrowed from another speech community.
• High antiquity of its early texts/ recorded history over a thousand years.
• A body of ancient literature/ texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generation of speakers.
• The literary tradition must be original and not borrowed from another speech community.
This criterion was revised in 2005 and 2024 based on the recommendations of Linguistic Experts Committees (LEC) under Sahitya Akademi to examine the proposed languages for the status of Classical Language.
Comparison of old and new criteria:
Criteria | Old Criteria (Revised in 2005) | New Criteria (Revised in 2024)
Antiquity of Texts | High antiquity of early texts/recorded history over a period of 1,500-2,000 years | High antiquity of early texts/recorded history over a period of 1,500-2,000 years
Ancient Literature | A body of ancient literature/texts, considered valuable heritage by generations of speakers | A body of ancient literature/texts, considered heritage by generations of speakers
Literary Tradition | Must have original literary traditions, not borrowed from another speech community | Inclusion of knowledge texts (prose and poetry), epigraphical and inscriptional evidence
Distinct Classical Language | Classical language and literature must be distinct from modern forms or have discontinuity with later forms | Classical languages and literature could be distinct from its current form or could be discontinuous with later forms of its offshoots
The 2024 Linguistic Expert Committee also recommended the following languages to be fulfilling revised criteria to be considered as a Classical Language: Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, Bengali.
Insta links:
• Classical-language-status