Constitutional Mandate

• Official Language Commission is a constitutional body set up under Article 344 of the Indian Constitution.

Origin of the Official Language Commission

• Formation: The  Official Language Commission was to be constituted ten years after it was formed in 1955 through a notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India.
• Time Period: Every ten years, the President of India must consider the use of the Hindi language for official purposes and any restrictions on the use of the English language.

What is the procedure for appointing members to the Official Language Commission?

• Appointing Authority: The members of the Official Language Commission are appointed by the President of India
• Composition: The Official Language Commission is made up of a Chairman and other members representing the different languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
• Chairman: As a convention, the Union Home Minister is elected as the chairman of the Committee.
• Election: The Official Language Commission is made up of thirty members, of whom twenty must be members of the Lok Sabha and ten shall be members of the Rajya Sabha, who will be elected from their respective houses.
  • The election method will be through a system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
• Terms of Service: The President has the discretion while appointing the members of the Official Language Commission and to define the procedure to be followed by the Commission.

What are the functions of the Official Language Commission?

• Promote the Hindi Language: The Official Language Commission should make recommendations regarding the progressive use of the Hindi language for the official purposes of the Union;
• Restrict English Language: The commission must also suggest measures for the use of the English language for all or any of the official purposes of the Union;
• Use of Particular Language: The Official Language Commission must suggest the language to be used for all or any of the purposes mentioned in Article 348;
• Numerals used: The Official Language Commission also makes recommendations on the sort of numerals to be used for any one or more specified purposes of the Union;
• Uphold Interests of Non-Hindi Speakers: The Commission must take into account the industrial, cultural, and scientific advancement of India, as well as the rights and interests of non-Hindi-speaking areas while making decisions.
• Miscellaneous: The Official Language Commission also handles matters specified by the President regarding the official language of the Union and the language to be used for the communication between the Union and a State or between one State and another and their use.

What is the Official Language of India?

• Definition: Official language is the one that is chosen by a government as its official medium of communication. This language has certain rights to be used in defined situations.
• Official Language of the Union: Hindi language, written in Devanagari script will be the official language of the union. However, the numerals used will not be in Devanagari form.
• Continuation of English Language: For a period of 15 years from 1950, the English language will be used for all the official purposes of the union.
• Post Fifteen Years: Even after fifteen years, the Parliament may allow continued use of the English language for the specified purpose.
• Regional Languages: The legislatures of respective states will specify the official languages of their states. Until then, English will be their official language.
• Communication Language: English would remain as the language of communication between the union and the states. States are free to agree to the use of Hindi language in their communication.
• Judicial Language: Until Parliament provides otherwise, all proceedings in the Supreme Court will be in English. All texts of bills, laws, ordinances, rules, etc shall be in English.
  • In states, the governor can authorize (with previous consent from the President) the use of Hindi or any other language in proceedings of the High Court of the state. However, the judgments, decrees, and other orders must be in English.