What does Tulu’s new official language status mean?
Why in News ?
The Karnataka Cabinet, in a significant move on September 18 in Mangaluru, approved the grant of additional official (administrative) language status to the Tulu language.
UPSC Relevance
Prelims- Constitutional provisions in news
Tulu is an independent, Dravidian language spoken in coastal Karnataka (Dakshina Kannada, Udupi) and northern Kerala (Kasaragod). The Registrar General and Census Commissioner recognize Tulu speakers as a distinct linguistic community. Despite its cultural and historical significance, Tulu is classified as an “important non-scheduled language” and is NOT included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Administrative Scope of Tulu as official language
- Geographical Jurisdiction: This status applies to the Dakshina Kannada district, southern Udupi district in Karnataka, and northern Kasaragod in Kerala.
- Administrative Implementation:
- Governance: Tulu will be utilized for administrative matters within Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.
- Legislative Participation: Elected representatives are authorized to speak Tulu in local government bodies, ranging from Gram Sabhas to City Corporations.
- Documentation: Government circulars and orders in these specific districts will be issued in Tulu.
- Citizen Engagement: Citizens have the right to submit applications to government departments in Tulu.
- Capacity Building: For officials unfamiliar with the language, the state will provide translations, professional translators, or basic language training.
- Financial Allocation: An annual budget of ₹82 lakh is designated for translation services, training modules, and general language implementation.
Statutory & Legislative Process Required
The transition from a Cabinet decision to legal reality requires specific statutory steps:
- Constitutional Basis: Under Article 345, State Legislatures are empowered to adopt regional languages for official purposes.
- Legislative Amendment: The Cabinet decision necessitates an amendment to Section 2 of the Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963, which currently recognizes only Kannada as the official language.
- Finalization: The amendment must be passed by the Karnataka Legislature and receive assent from the Governor before a final official notification is issued.
Constitutional Framework for States
- State Legislative Power (Article 345): The Legislature of a State may by law adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi as the language to be used for all or any of the official purposes of that State with the assent of the Governor.
- Role of the Governor:
- Judiciary (Article 348(2)): The Governor, with President’s consent, may authorize the use of Hindi or the state language in High Court proceedings (excluding judgments).
- Ordinances (Article 213): Power to issue language-related ordinances during legislative recess.
- Presidential Power (Article 347): If a substantial proportion of a state’s population desires their language to be recognized, the President may direct that such language shall also be officially recognized throughout that State or any part thereof.
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS ON LANGUAGES IN INDIA [ Part XVII ]
| Article | Provision | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Art. 343 | Official Language of the Union | Hindi in Devanagari script; numerals in international form. |
| Art. 344 | Commission on Official Language | President constitutes a commission at 5 and 10 years to monitor Hindi usage. |
| Art. 346 | Language for Communication | Governs Inter-state and State-Union communication (English is default). |
| Art. 348 | Language of Higher Judiciary | Mandates English for SC, HCs, and authoritative texts of Bills/Acts. |
| Art. 350 | Grievance Redressal | Right to submit representations in any language used in the Union/State. |
| Art. 350A | Primary Instruction | Facilities for instruction in mother tongue at the primary stage for minorities. |
| Art. 350B | Special Officer | Appointment of a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities by the President. |
| Art. 351 | Hindi Promotion | Directive to the Union to develop and spread the Hindi language. |
Eighth Schedule & Scheduled Languages
The Eighth Schedule originally contained 14 languages in 1950. It now includes 22 officially recognized languages through various amendments:
- 21st Amendment Act, 1967: Added Sindhi.
- 71st Amendment Act, 1992: Added Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali.
- 92nd Amendment Act, 2003: Added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santali.
- 96th Amendment Act, 2011: Renamed “Oriya” to “Odia”.
Practice MCQ
Q. Consider the following statements with reference to the Tulu language and the official language provisions under the Constitution of India:
- Tulu is recognized as an independent language by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, but it is currently a non-scheduled language not included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
- Article 345 empowers a State Legislature to adopt any regional language spoken in the State as an additional official language, without requiring any statutory amendment to state-level acts.
- Under Article 347, the Governor of state can direct the official recognition of a language across a State or part of it if a substantial proportion of the population demands it.
Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct?
a. All three statements are correct.
b. There is no correct statement.
c. There are two correct statements that include statement 3.
d. There is only one correct statement.
Answer : D