Context: 

Madhika, a language with just two speakers in Kerala with no scripts is on the brink of extinction.

About Madhika Language

Madhika is a language spoken by the Chakaliya community, It is a blend of Telugu, Tulu, Kannada, and Malayalam.

• Reason for Extinction: It is fast becoming extinct with the younger generation opting for Malayalam

Current Status of Endangered Languages in India

• According to a report published by UNESCO 2018, 42 languages are heading towards extinction in India. Most dying languages are from the indigenous tribal groups spread across India.
• According to UNESCO norms, any language spoken by only 10,000 people is potentially endangered. 
• 2011 Census: India’s language Census records only those with more than 10,000 speakers. 
  • Of the 99 non-scheduled languages the 2011 Census recorded, the number of speakers reduced to 22 compared to a decade ago. 
  • Thirteen of them are spoken in the Northeast.

UNESCO Endangerment Languages Classification

• Extinct: there are no speakers left.
• Critically Endangered: The youngest speakers are grandparents and older, and they speak the language partially and infrequently.
• Severely Endangered: The language is spoken by grandparents and older generations. While the parent generation may understand it, they do not speak it to children or among themselves
• Definitely Endangered: Children no longer learn the language as a mother tongue in the home.
• Vulnerable: Most children speak the language, but it may be restricted to certain domains (e.g. home)
• Safe / Not Endangered: Is spoken by all generations and intergenerational transmission is uninterrupted (Note: These languages are not included in the Atlas because they are not endangered.)

What is the Effect When Language Dies?

• When a language dies, the knowledge system dies and becomes extinct. Thus, the unique way of looking back on the world has also been lost. 
• The speakers start migrating to different languages and regions, and the language is lost.

Government Initiative for Protection of Endangered Languages

• Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages (SPPEL)

  • It was instituted by the Ministry of Education in 2013 to document and archive the country’s languages that have become endangered or are likely to be endangered shortly. 
  • The scheme is monitored by the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) located in Mysuru, Karnataka.

• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR, 1976)

  • It  states, “In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right, in community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their religion, or to use their language.”

• Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL)

  • It was established in 1969 and  works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Education.
  • Mandate: It advises and assists central and state governments in language matters. 

News Source: The Hindu