Notification in respect of Conferring status of Classical Language to Marathi Pali Prakrit Assamese and Bengali languages

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-04102024-257710 EXTRAORDINARY PART I-Section 1 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 287] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2024/ASVINA 12, 1946 MINISTRY OF CULTURE NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 4th October, 2024 F. No. Akd-26/2/2019-Akad.—Whereas in terms of the criteria laid down vide Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs Notification No. IV-14014/7/2004-NI-II dated 12th October, 2004 and 25th November, 2005, languages namely, Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia were classified as Classical Language; And whereas the Government of India has decided to revise the criteria as follows: (i) High antiquity of its early texts / recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years. (ii) A body of ancient literature/ texts, which is considered a heritage by generations of speakers. (iii) Knowledge texts, especially prose texts in addition to poetry, epigraphical and inscriptional evidence would also be considered. (iv) The classical languages and literature could be distinct from its current form or could be discontinuous with its later forms or its offshoots; And whereas Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali languages satisfy the above criteria. 2. Now, therefore, the Government of India hereby classifies Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali also as a Classical Language. AMITA PRASAD SARBHAI, Jt. Secy.