- The Union Cabinet recently granted classical language status to five languages: Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit.
- This decision followed a revision of the criteria, particularly the removal of the requirement for an original literary tradition, which was deemed difficult to prove due to the interconnectedness of ancient languages.
- Revision of Criteria: The focus shifted to tangible evidence such as archaeological, historical, and numismatic proof.
- Linguistic Expert Committee: Comprising representatives from the Union Ministries of Home and Culture, the committee includes linguistic experts and is chaired by the President of the Sahitya Akademi.
- The criteria for classical status were first established in 2004 and revised in 2005.
- New Criteria:
- The language must have a high antiquity of early texts and recorded history over 1,500-2,000 years.
- It should have a body of ancient literature that is considered valuable heritage, with a distinct classical tradition.
Dig Deeper: Read about benefits accorded to Classical Languages of India from the Central Government. (Refer July Magazine)
