No fixed criteria for language to be considered for inclusion in Eighth Schedule: Minister

The minister said in a written reply that the Awadhi language is grouped as a mother tongue under Hindi and is spoken by 38,50,906 people, according to information received from the Registrar General of India as per census 2011.

He was responding to a question about giving the status of scheduled language to Awadhi.

The minister said at present 22 languages are specified under the Eighth Schedule and there have been demands from time to time for the inclusion of more languages including Awadhi.

"As the evolution of dialects and languages is a dynamic process, influenced by socio-cultural, economic and political developments, it is difficult to fix any criteria for languages, whether to distinguish them from dialects or for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. The earlier attempts, through the Pahwa Committee (1996) and Sitakant Mohapatra Committees (2003) to evolve such fixed have been inconclusive. "

He said the government is conscious of sentiments and requirements of inclusion of other languages in the Eighth Schedule.

"Since at present there are no criteria defined to place a language under Eighth Schedule, no time-frame can be provided for the consideration of the demands for inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution," he said.