When was the category of Classical Languages introduced by the Government?
In 2004, the Government of India declared that languages that met certain requirements could be accorded the status of a “Classical Language in India”.
What are the criteria for languages to be identified as Classical languages?
In a 2006 press release, Minister of Tourism & Culture Ambika Soni told the Rajya Sabha the following criteria were laid down to determine the eligibility of languages to be considered for classification as a “Classical Language”.
- High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500–2000 years
- A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers
- The literary tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community
- The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.
Which languages have been accorded the status of Classical languages?
Languages thus far declared to be Classical are:
- Tamil (in 2004)
- Sanskrit (in 2005)
- Kannada (in 2008)
- Telugu (in 2008)
- Malayalam (in 2013)
- Odia (in 2014)
The Government has been criticised for not including Pali as a classical language, as experts have argued it fits all the above criteria.
Tamil was the first language to be accorded classical status.
What are the benefits accrued to a language classified as a classical language? Benefits
The benefits that will accrue to a language declared as “Classical Language” are:
- Two major international awards for scholars of eminence in Classical Indian Languages are awarded annually.
- A Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages’ is set up.
- The University Grants Commission be requested to create, to start with at least in the Central Universities, a certain number of Professional Chairs for Classical Languages for scholars of eminence in Classical Indian Languages.
Source: Wiki