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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2732
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 4TH AUGUST, 2026/ SHRAVANA 13, 1948 (SAKA)
INCLUSION OF BANJARA LANGUAGE
2732. SHRI KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY:
Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has examined the recommendation of the
Committee on the inclusion of additional languages in the Eighth Schedule
of the Constitution, including Banjara (Gor Boli/Lambadi);
(b) whether Banjara (Gor Boli/Lambadi) was among the languages identified
for consideration for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule;
(c) the present status of the proposal for inclusion of Banjara (Gor
Boli/Lambadi) in the Eighth Schedule, along with the criteria adopted by the
Government for such inclusion; and
(d) whether the Government proposes to take a decision on the inclusion of
Banjara (Gor Boli/Lambadi) in view of its widespread use across several
States and if so, the details and timeline thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI NITYANAND RAI)
(a) to (d): There have been demands from time to time for inclusion of several
languages, including Banjara (Gor Boli/Lambadi), in the Eighth Schedule to
the Constitution. However, there are no fixed criteria for consideration of
any language for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. As the
evolution of dialects and languages is a dynamic process, influenced by-2-
L.S.US.Q.NO. 2732 FOR 04.08.2026
socio-cultural, economic and political developments, it is difficult to fix any
criterion for languages for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the
Constitution. The earlier attempts, through the Pahwa (1996) and Sitakant
Mohapatra (2003) Committees, to evolve such fixed criteria have been
inconclusive. The Government is conscious of the sentiments and
requirements for inclusion of other languages in the Eighth Schedule. Such
requests have to be considered keeping in mind these sentiments, and the
other relevant considerations. Since at present, there are no fixed criteria
for any language to be considered for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the
Constitution, no time-frame can be fixed for consideration of the demands
for inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.
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