8 Aug, 2023 Hindi Language Flashcards
What is the most spoken language in India?
Hindi is the most spoken language in India, with over 430 million speakers.
What recent observation did the Supreme Court make about languages in India?
The Supreme Court noted that despite having 22 official languages, Hindi is considered the “national language.”
What case was the Supreme Court dealing with regarding language barriers?
The Supreme Court handled a case involving a motor accident in Siliguri, West Bengal, where the petitioner wanted the case transferred due to language issues.
Why was the transfer plea rejected by the court?
The court rejected the transfer plea, as Hindi being the national language, it was expected for witnesses to communicate in Hindi.
What languages are predominantly spoken in India, according to the given percentages?
Hindi is spoken by 43.63% of people, followed by Bengali (8.03%), Marathi (6.86%), Telugu (6.70%), and Tamil (5.70%).
What does Article 343 of the Indian Constitution state about the official language?
Article 343 states that the official language of India is Hindi in the Devanagari script, and English will continue to be used officially for 15 years from the Constitution’s start.
How did the Constitution address the continuation of English after 1965?
The Official Languages Act, 1963, allowed English to be used officially even after January 25, 1965.
What does Article 346 of the Indian Constitution deal with?
Article 346 covers the official language for communication between States and between a State and the Union. It mentions the use of an “authorized” language or Hindi if agreed upon.
How can a language be recognized as an official language of a state, as per Article 347?
Article 347 allows the President to recognize a language as an official language if a substantial portion of the state’s population desires it.
What power does Article 351 of the Indian Constitution give to the Union Government?
Article 351 empowers the Union Government to issue directives for the development of the Hindi language.
What challenges exist in promoting Hindi as a common language?
Challenges include difficulties for non-Hindi speakers to understand government policies, potential bureaucracy issues, and resistance due to linguistic diversity.
How might promoting Hindi create challenges for the bureaucracy?
Making Hindi an official language might impact the efficiency of the bureaucracy, especially when bureaucrats from different linguistic states need to communicate.
What is the “three-language formula,” and why has it largely failed?
The “three-language formula” aimed to promote multiple languages, but it failed due to anti-Hindi agitations in some states and lack of demand for learning languages other than Hindi.
What is the three-language formula?
The three-language formula is a policy that was adopted by the Government of India in 1968. The formula states that all students in India should learn three languages: their mother tongue, Hindi, and English.
What are the challenges of promoting Hindi as a common language?
There are a few challenges to promoting Hindi as a common language in India. One challenge is that there are many other languages spoken in India, and not everyone speaks Hindi. Another challenge is that some people feel that promoting Hindi would give Hindi speakers an unfair advantage.
