Explain how India's language policy reflects the spirit of federalism. Why was this policy considered important for national unity?
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:17 · grounding rag
Model Answer
India's Constitution did not grant national language status to any single language. Hindi was made the official language, but since it is the mother tongue of only about 40% of Indians, strong safeguards were provided for other languages.
Key features of the language policy:
- 22 Scheduled Languages are recognised in the Constitution.
- Candidates for Central Government exams may opt for any Scheduled Language.
- States have their own official languages for government work.
- English was continued alongside Hindi for official purposes after non-Hindi States, especially Tamil Nadu, strongly opposed its discontinuation in 1965.
This policy was important for national unity because it ensured no linguistic group felt dominated or sidelined. Unlike Sri Lanka, India showed flexibility and accommodation, preventing violent conflict over language. The spirit of federalism — respecting regional diversity while maintaining unity — was upheld.
Source: How is federalism practised?, Chapter 2
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Explanation
- Examiners expect you to mention: no national language, Hindi as official language, 22 Scheduled Languages, continuation of English, and the contrast with Sri Lanka.
- Link the policy explicitly to federalism (respect for diversity + unity) — that is the core of the question.
- The Tamil Nadu agitation and the government's flexible response are key examples to include.
- Avoid writing a general essay on Indian languages; stay focused on the policy and its federal significance.