**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer provided by the Minister of Culture and Tourism to Unstarred Question No. 425 in Lok Sabha, scheduled for February 2, 2026. The question concerns the promotion of classical languages in India, specifically addressing the number of speakers, funds utilized, and the top five most spoken languages in the country. The document includes details of recognized classical languages, speaker numbers based on the 2011 census, and the budget grants sanctioned to classical languages from 2015-16 to 2025-26.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Classical Languages Recognized:**
* The Government of India recognizes eleven languages as classical languages.
* The languages and their dates of recognition are:
* Tamil (12.10.2004)
* Sanskrit (25.11.2005)
* Telugu (31.10.2008)
* Kannada (31.10.2008)
* Malayalam (08.08.2013)
* Odia (01.03.2014)
* Marathi (04.10.2024)
* Assamese (04.10.2024)
* Bangla (04.10.2024)
* Pali (04.10.2024)
* Prakrit (04.10.2024)
* **Promotion and Preservation of Sanskrit:**
* The Ministry of Education works for the promotion and preservation of classical languages.
* Sanskrit is promoted through three Central Universities.
* **Language Speakers (Approximate Lakhs):**
* Tamil (690)
* Kannada (437)
* Telugu (811)
* Sanskrit (0.24)
* Malayalam (348)
* Odia (375)
* Marathi (830)
* Assamese (153)
* Bangla (972)
* Pali, a part of the population in Bihar speaks this language.
* **Top Five Most Spoken Languages in India (as per Census 2011):**
* Hindi
* Bengali
* Marathi
* Telugu
* Tamil
* **Budget Grants Sanctioned to Classical Languages (Rs. In Lakhs):**
* Details of budget grants sanctioned to Kannada, Telugu, Odia, Malayalam and Tamil languages from 2015-16 to 2025-26 are provided in Annexure 'A'.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Culture and Tourism**
* **Impact**: Required to provide details on classical languages, funds utilized, and language statistics.
* **Action Required**: Address parliamentary queries related to the promotion of classical languages.
**Ministry of Education**
* **Impact**: Responsible for promoting and preserving classical languages, particularly Sanskrit.
* **Action Required**: Continue supporting Sanskrit through Central Universities and manage funds allocated for classical languages.
**Speakers of Classical Languages**
* **Impact**: The government recognition and promotion efforts may affect the preservation and development of their languages.
* **Action Required**: None specified.
**Researchers and Linguists**
* **Impact**: Can use this information about the speaker numbers to look at the health of languages and plan research projects.
* **Action Required**: None specified.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Culture: The primary ministry responsible for providing information regarding the promotion of classical languages.
Ministry of Education: The ministry that works for the promotion and preservation of the Classical Language.
Classical Languages: The policy focuses on promotion and preservation of classical languages of India.
Census of India 2011: The source of data regarding number of speakers of classical languages and top spoken languages in India.
MINISTRY OF CULTURE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 425
TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026
PROMOTION OF CLASSICAL LANGUAGES
425. SMT. RACHNA BANERJEE:
Will the Minister of Culture be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the estimated number of people in India speaking each classical
language, language-wise;
(b) the detail of the funds utilized on promotion of classical languages during the last
eleven years, year and language-wise; and
(c) the details of the top five most spoken languages in the country?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM
(GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) & (b) 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.
(c) 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:
i. Hindi
ii. Bengali
iii. Marathi
iv. Telugu
v. Tamil
****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