Indian Languages – Complete Static GK Notes for Government Exams
Indian Languages form a crucial part of Static General Knowledge and are frequently asked in SSC, UPSC, Banking, Railways, Defence, and State PSC exams. Questions mainly focus on the Eighth Schedule, Classical Languages, language families, scripts, constitutional provisions, and census data, making this a high-scoring topic for competitive exams.
1️⃣ Introduction
What are Indian Languages?
India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, with 1,600+ languages and dialects, of which 22 languages are officially recognized under the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Why is this topic important for Government Exams?
- Frequently asked in Static GK / Polity / Culture
- Direct factual questions
- High accuracy, less time-consuming
- Repeated across multiple exams
Exams where questions are commonly asked:
- SSC CGL, CHSL, GD, MTS
- UPSC Prelims & Mains
- IBPS PO/Clerk, SBI PO/Clerk
- Railways (RRB NTPC, Group D)
- Defence (NDA, CDS, CAPF)
- State PSC Exams
2️⃣ Detailed Explanation
A. Language Families of India
Indian languages are classified into four major language families:
| Language Family | Region | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Indo-Aryan | North & Central India | Hindi, Bengali, Marathi |
| Dravidian | South India | Tamil, Telugu, Kannada |
| Austroasiatic | Central & East India | Santhali, Mundari |
| Tibeto-Burman | North-East India | Bodo, Manipuri |
📌 Exam Fact:
- Indo-Aryan languages form about 74% of Indian languages
- Dravidian languages form about 24%
B. Scheduled Languages of India (Eighth Schedule)
📌 Total Scheduled Languages: 22
List of 22 Scheduled Languages:
Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri (Meitei), Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu
Constitutional Amendments:
- 21st Amendment (1967) → Sindhi
- 71st Amendment (1992) → Konkani, Manipuri, Nepali
- 92nd Amendment (2003) → Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali
C. Official Language of India
- Official Language of the Union: Hindi (Devanagari script)
- Associate Official Language: English
- Article 343 of the Constitution
📌 Important MCQ:
➡️ India has no national language ❗
D. Classical Languages of India
📌 Classical languages are declared based on antiquity, ancient literature, and cultural heritage.
Total Classical Languages: 11
| Classical Language | Year Declared |
|---|---|
| Tamil | 2004 |
| Sanskrit | 2005 |
| Kannada | 2008 |
| Telugu | 2008 |
| Malayalam | 2013 |
| Odia | 2014 |
| Assamese | 2024 |
| Bengali | 2024 |
| Marathi | 2024 |
| Pali | 2024 |
| Prakrit | 2024 |
📌 Oldest Classical Language: Tamil
E. Language – Script – State (Frequently Asked)
| Language | Script | Major State |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi | Devanagari | UP, MP |
| Bengali | Bengali-Assamese | West Bengal |
| Tamil | Tamil | Tamil Nadu |
| Telugu | Telugu | Andhra Pradesh |
| Kannada | Kannada | Karnataka |
| Malayalam | Malayalam | Kerala |
| Punjabi | Gurmukhi | Punjab |
| Urdu | Perso-Arabic | J&K, UP |
| Sindhi | Perso-Arabic / Devanagari | — |
| Santhali | Ol Chiki | Jharkhand |
F. Important Constitutional Articles on Language
| Article | Provision |
|---|---|
| 343 | Official language of Union |
| 344 | Language Commission |
| 345 | Official language of State |
| 347 | Recognition on public demand |
| 350A | Mother tongue education |
| 350B | Linguistic minorities officer |
| 351 | Promotion of Hindi |
3️⃣ Important Points / Features
- 22 languages in Eighth Schedule
- 11 Classical Languages (as of 2024)
- Hindi + English used for Union work
- Census 2011: 121 major languages
- Hindi is the most spoken language in India
4️⃣ Additional Notes (Exam Gold 🔥)
- Hindi speakers (2011): 52.8 crore (43.6%)
- Most spoken after Hindi: Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil
- Railways announcements: Hindi + English + regional language
- Indian currency notes: 15 scheduled languages on reverse
- No scheduled language in Nagaland
- Manipuri script: Meitei Mayek
- Kashmiri script: Perso-Arabic (earlier Sharada)
📌 One-Liner Revision Points
- Total Scheduled Languages → 22
- Oldest Classical Language → Tamil
- No National Language of India → True
- Article for Official Language → 343
- Script of Hindi → Devanagari
- 92nd Amendment → 2003
- Most spoken language → Hindi
- Santali script → Ol Chiki
