CLASSICAL LANGUAGES IN INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Art and Culture)

Context: Special centres set up for the promotion of Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia after they were designated classical languages are demanding autonomy in their functioning in order to better carry out their functions.

Classical Languages in India

• About: It is defined as a language that possesses a distinct literary tradition and a substantial corpus of ancient written works.
• Criteria: The Government of India has established specific criteria for declaring a language as classical, including a high antiquity of early texts, a valuable literary heritage, originality, and distinctiveness from modern forms.
• Currently Classical Languages: As of now, 6 languages hold the prestigious 'Classical' status in India: Tamil (2004), Sanskrit (2005), Kannada (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014).
• Demand of classical language tag: Marathi, Bengali, Assamese and Maithili.
• The Ministry of Culture provides the guidelines regarding Classical languages.

Present Criteria for Declaration of a Classical Language

• Antiquity Requirement: A language must demonstrate a high antiquity of its early texts or recorded history spanning 1,500-2,000 years.
• Body of Ancient Literature: It should possess a substantial body of ancient literature or texts that are considered valuable heritage by generations of speakers.
• Original Literary Tradition: The literary tradition of the language should be original and not borrowed from another speech community.
• Distinct from Modern Format: The classical language and its literature should be distinct from its modern format, possibly showing discontinuity with its later forms or offshoots.

Benefits

• International Recognition: Two major annual international awards are granted to distinguished scholars of the classical language to honor their contributions.
• Academic Support: A Centre of Excellence for Studies in the classical language is established to promote research and advanced studies.
• University Integration: The University Grants Commission is requested to create Chairs for the classical language in Central Universities, fostering academic growth and preservation.