Official State Languages query

[kichenas at math.umn.edu]

In answer to M. Rabe's query, some relevant texts are part XVII, Appendix
1(12), App. 2(18) and Schedule 8 of the Constitution of India. The latter
lists (in alphabetical order)

1. Assamese. 
2. Bengali. 
3. Gujarati. 
4. Hindi. 
5. Kannada. 
6. Kashmiri. 
7. Konkani. 
8. Malayalam. 
9. Manipuri. 
10. Marathi. 
11. Nepali. 
12. Oriya. 
13. Punjabi.
14. Sanskrit. 
15. Sindhi. 
16. Tamil.
17. Telugu. 
18. Urdu.

Part XVII does note the importance of `the just claims and the interests
of persons belonging to the non-Hindi speaking areas in regard to the
public services'; also note that `the President may, if he is satisfied
that a substantial proportion of the population of a State desire the use
of any language spoken by them to be recognised by that State, direct that
such language shall also be officially recognised throughout that State or
any part thereof for such purpose as he may specify. '

I am sure experts on Constitutional Law will be able to give more
detailed comments.


                                Satyanad Kichenassamy
                                School of Mathematics
                                University of Minnesota
                                E-mail: kichenas at math.umn.edu