On the Malayalam Language Bill

The Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, passed by the Kerala Assembly to promote the language, is being opposed by leaders in Karnataka over fears that the minority languages in Kerala, especially Tamil and Kannada, may be adversely affected.

About the Malayalam Language Bill

• Objective: To adopt Malayalam as the official language of Kerala.
  • To use Malayalam for all official purposes.
  • To ensure the use of Malayalam in all sectors in Kerala.
  • All provisions are subject to the Constitution of India.
  • To ensure overall progress and enrichment of the language.
• Sector-Wise Promotion Measures: Education, Judiciary, Information Technology (IT)
• Education Provisions: 
  • Malayalam as First Language: Malayalam is proposed as the first language for schoolchildren.
  • Other Languages Allowed: Students whose mother tongue is not Malayalam may study in other available languages in State schools, as per the National Education Curriculum.
  • Examination Exemptions: Students from other States or foreign countries whose mother tongue is not Malayalam are exempt from Malayalam exams in Classes IX, X, and higher secondary.
• Administrative Safeguards for Linguistic Minorities: Tamil and Kannada minorities in notified areas may correspond with the State Secretariat, Heads of Departments, and Local State offices in their own languages. Replies must be issued in those languages.

Legislative Background Of the Bill

• Earlier Bill Pending with Centre: A similar Bill was passed in 2015, but remained pending with the Centre for 10 years.
• Supreme Court Intervention: After a Supreme Court ruling that Bills cannot be indefinitely delayed, the Centre returned the Bill.
• Passage of Current Version: Kerala then passed the current version of the Bill in 2025.

Constitutional Provisions Related

• Article 345: Empowers state legislatures to decide official languages.
• Article 347: Allows the President to recognise a language spoken by a substantial population.
• Article 350A: Mandates primary education in the mother tongue.
• Article 350B: Provides for a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities

Language Policy at Centre and State Levels

• Policy of Promoting All Languages: The Centre ostensibly has a policy of promoting all Indian languages, and several States follow similar policies.
• Condition: As long as language promotion is done alongside protection of linguistic minority rights, neither the Centre nor other States should object.
• Rejection of Blind Language Promotion: Language policies must not pursue a blind cultural agenda of Hindi or any single language.
• Equal Place in Public Life: All languages must have rightful places in administration and the public sphere.

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Way Forward

• Preserve Social Harmony: Language promotion must proceed without allowing hostility between communities, as social harmony is essential for nation-building.
  • There is also a need for wider, good-faith dialogue across linguistic groups to build trust and prevent polarisation.
• Strengthen Cooperative Federalism: To manage linguistic differences, cooperative federal mechanisms must be strengthened.
• Empower the Inter-State Council: The Inter-State Council, currently dormant, should be given greater authority to address inter-State cultural and linguistic concerns.

Conclusion

Language promotion must go hand in hand with cooperative federal mechanisms and inter-community dialogue to preserve social harmony and strengthen national unity

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