The Union Cabinet on 3rd October approved the recognition of five more languages as “classical.” Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali have been included in the prestigious category.
- These languages join the ranks of six others already recognised as classical: Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia.
- The classification ensures increased academic and cultural interest, and it opens up new avenues for research and preservation of these ancient tongues.
Classical language criteria
- High Antiquity: Early texts and recorded history must span over 1500-2000 years.
- Ancient Literature: A body of ancient literature or texts, valued as cultural heritage by generations of speakers, must exist.
- Knowledge Texts: The language must have a corpus of prose, including knowledge texts, epigraphical, and inscriptional evidence.
- Distinct Evolution: The classical language and its literature can be distinct from its modern form, or it may have evolved into newer forms, with possible discontinuity from its original structure.
