Why is it in the news?

• India’s Union Cabinet has recently extended the “classical language” designation to five languages: Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali.
• This designation aims to elevate these languages’ cultural and academic significance both nationally and internationally.
• Previously, languages like Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia held this status.

Origins of the Classical Language Concept

• The classification of Indian languages as “classical” emerged following demands from various states.
• The UPA-1 government established criteria for this status, with Tamil being the first to receive it on October 12, 2004, due to its high antiquity and rich literary tradition.
• Following Tamil, Sanskrit was designated as classical in November 2004, and subsequently, Telugu (2008), Kannada (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014) were also included.
• In July 2023, the Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC) revised the criteria for this status.

Criteria for Classical Language Status

The latest criteria for classical language designation include:

• High antiquity of early texts, with recorded history spanning 1,500 to 2,000 years.
• A body of ancient literature or texts considered heritage by generations of speakers.
• Epigraphic and inscriptional evidence.
• Knowledge texts, including prose as well as poetry.
• The distinctiveness of classical languages and literature from their current forms or later offshoots.

Reasons for Recent Additions

Marathi:

• The inclusion of Marathi comes after a decade-long proposal submitted by the Maharashtra state government in 2013.
• Modern Marathi descends from Maharashtri Prakrit, which served as the official language of the Satvahanas.
• The oldest evidence of this Prakrit can be traced back to a stone inscription from the 1st century BCE, and the earliest modern Marathi is found in a copper-plate inscription from 739 CE.

Bengali and Assamese:

• Both West Bengal and Assam state governments sought “classical” status for Bengali and Assamese, which share their origins with Magadhi Prakrit.
• The exact dates of their emergence are debated, with estimates ranging from the 6th to the 12th centuries. Scholars suggest that the Indo-Aryan vernacular likely differentiated itself in Assam before it did in Bengal.

Pali and Prakrit:

• Prakrit refers to a group of related Indo-Aryan languages that served as the vernaculars for the masses, contrasting with the elite Sanskrit.
• Historian A.L. Basham noted that by the time of the Buddha, simpler languages were widely spoken. Jain agamas and the Gatha Saptashati are notable texts in Ardhamagadhi, a form of Prakrit that remains significant in Jain practices.
• Pali, derived from a Sanskritized form of Magadhi Prakrit, is considered the language of the Theravada Buddhist Canon.

Implications of the Classical Tag

• The “classical” designation is expected to have significant cultural and academic ramifications.
• The Ministry of Education plans to promote these newly recognized classical languages similarly to those already designated.
• Initiatives include the establishment of three Central Universities dedicated to Sanskrit promotion, the creation of the Central Institute of Classical Tamil for translating ancient texts, and the establishment of Centres of Excellence for studying Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia.
• The National Education Policy emphasizes the inclusion of classical languages in school curricula, and collaborative efforts among the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, and state governments will enhance knowledge-sharing and research in these languages.
• Moreover, efforts will be made to digitize manuscripts in these languages to facilitate greater access for scholars.