Ministry of Culture
PROMOTION OF CLASSICAL LANGUAGES
Posted On:
02 FEB 2026 3:30PM by PIB Delhi
Government of India recognized the following eleven languages as the Classical Language:
|
Sl. No.
|
Classical Language
|
Date of Recognition
|
|
i.
|
Tamil
|
12.10.2004
|
|
ii.
|
Sanskrit
|
25.11.2005
|
|
iii.
|
Telugu
|
31.10.2008
|
|
iv.
|
Kannada
|
31.10.2008
|
|
v.
|
Malayalam
|
08.08.2013
|
|
vi.
|
Odia
|
01.03.2014
|
|
vii.
|
Marathi
|
04.10.2024
|
|
viii.
|
Assamese
|
04.10.2024
|
|
ix.
|
Bangla
|
04.10.2024
|
|
x.
|
Pali
|
04.10.2024
|
|
xi.
|
Prakrit
|
04.10.2024
|
The Ministry of Education works for the Promotion and preservation of the Classical Language. Sanskrit Language is promoted through three Central University, viz Central Sanskrit University, New Delhi Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, New Delhi and National Sanskrit University, Tirupati. The details of the funds provided to other five classical languages declared prior to 04.10.2024 are at Annexure ‘A’.
As per the Census of India 2011, (Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India). Estimate number of people in India speaking 9 classical languages are as follows:
|
Sl. No
|
Language
|
Number of People speaking (Approximately in Lakh)
|
|
1.
|
Tamil
|
690
|
|
2.
|
Kannada
|
437
|
|
3
|
Telugu
|
811
|
|
4.
|
Sanskrit
|
0.24
|
|
5.
|
Malayalam
|
348
|
|
6.
|
Odia
|
375
|
|
7.
|
Marathi
|
830
|
|
8.
|
Assamese
|
153
|
|
9.
|
Bangla
|
972
|
It is estimated that part of 1038 Lakh population of Bihar speak in Pali.
As per the Census of India 2011, (Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India), the top five most spoken languages in the country are as follows:
- Hindi
- Bengali
- Marathi
- Telugu
- Tamil
This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Lok Sabha today
***
M Annadurai
ANNEXURE- ‘A’
Budget Grant Sanctioned to Classical Languages (Rs. In Lakhs)
|
Year
|
Kannada
|
Telugu
|
Odia
|
Malayalam
|
Tamil
|
|
2015-16
|
100.00
|
100.00
|
--
|
--
|
11.89
|
|
2016-17
|
100.00
|
100.00
|
--
|
--
|
5.02
|
|
2017-18
|
100.00
|
100.00
|
--
|
--
|
10.27
|
|
2018-19
|
99.00
|
100.00
|
--
|
--
|
5.46
|
|
2019-20
|
107.00
|
107.00
|
--
|
--
|
9.83
|
|
2020-21
|
108.00
|
147.00
|
8.00
|
8.00
|
1200
|
|
2021-22
|
106.00
|
103.00
|
58.38
|
63.97
|
1200
|
|
2022-23
|
171.75
|
171.75
|
176.75
|
186.75
|
1200
|
|
2023-24
|
154.50
|
154.50
|
138.50
|
112.50
|
1525
|
|
2024-25
|
86.00
|
86.00
|
86.00
|
86.00
|
1430.00
|
|
2025-26
|
106.50
|
106.50
|
106.50
|
106.50
|
1697.00
|
(Release ID: 2222111)
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