Languages with official status in India facts for kids
India is a huge country with a rich history. It is also home to an incredible number of languages! Imagine a place where people speak hundreds of different languages and dialects. This makes India one of the most linguistically diverse places on Earth. To help everyone communicate, India has several official languages. These are languages recognized by the government for official work.
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India's Amazing Languages
India's constitution recognizes many languages. This is because India has a long history of different cultures and kingdoms. Each region developed its own unique language over thousands of years. When India became independent, leaders wanted to respect this amazing diversity. They decided to give official status to many important languages. This helps preserve them and ensures government services are available to everyone.
Why So Many Languages?
India's geography and history played a big part in its language diversity. High mountains and vast plains kept groups of people separate for a long time. This allowed their languages to grow and change independently. Over centuries, different empires and rulers also influenced language development. Today, this rich mix of languages is a source of pride for India.
What Does "Official Language" Mean?
An "official language" is a language used by the government. It is used for things like laws, official documents, and communication between different states. In India, the central government uses certain languages. Individual states also have their own official languages. This system helps make sure that people can understand government information in their own language.
The 22 Scheduled Languages
The Constitution of India lists 22 languages as "scheduled languages." These languages are very important to India's culture and heritage. They are taught in schools and used in many official ways. Here are the 22 languages:
- Bengali
- Marathi
- English
- Sanskrit
- Sindhi
- Hindi
- Assamese
- Punjabi
- Odia
- Kashmiri
- Kannada
- Tamil
- Telugu
- Dogri
- Bodo
- Santali
Hindi and English: The Union's Languages
While there are 22 scheduled languages, the central government of India mainly uses two official languages. These are Hindi and English. Hindi is the most widely spoken language in India. English is also very important, especially for communication between different states and for international business. Many official signs and documents are written in both Hindi and English.
Images for kids
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In places like railway stations, signboards are usually written in three languages - the state language (here Odia) and the two official languages Hindi and English.
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Idiomas nacionales de la India para niños
