India is a nation of multiple languages, showcasing a vast array of languages spoken across its regions, from the north to the south and from the east to the west. This country is defined by a rich mosaic of diverse languages and cultures, with each language embodying its distinct history, literary tradition, and cultural importance. These languages play a crucial role in forming the cultural and social identities of the Indian populace. As per the language statistics from the 2011 census, India is home to more than 700 distinct languages. The primary uses of languages are:

• Communication,

• Representation,

• Expression and

• Social Interaction

According to the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution, only 22 languages got government recognition and support. The Languages of India page contains the details of the List of all languages of India, the national languages list, official and second official languages of states and union territories, the percentage of the language spoken with a pie chart, and other details related to the languages of India. A PDF format of the languages list is also attached with the download link. For any queries, check the FAQ given below.

List of Languages of India PDF in English Download Link

List of Languages of India PDF in Hindi Download Link

National Languages of India List

India is a diverse country with 28 states and 8 union territories, each with unique languages and cultures. As per the constitution, India does not have a national language.

• Instead of that, both Hindi and English are considered the official languages.

• Hindi is the language the Central Government uses to communicate with the states in the Hindi belt.

• English is associated as the second official language, and the other state-wise languages in India to communicate with the non-Hindi states.

Download Monthly Current Affairs PDF

Read All Static GK Topics

Domestic and International Airports in India

Languages in India: State-wise 

The table is classified into India's main and secondary official state languages.

Important Lakes In India

Official and Second Official Indian States

Spoken Languages in India UT-wise

Union Territories of India are also like the states of India, with different languages spoken in their location near the states.

• Some UTs have secondary languages based on the migrated people from different locations in India.

• The list of official languages in the Union Territories of India is in table format.

Festivals of India List

Difference Between National And Official Languages

The difference between the national and official languages state-wise is provided table.

Bird Sanctuaries in India

Official Languages of India - 22 Scheduled Languages in India

Article 343(3) states that Parliament may by law provide for the use of the English language. Initially, 14 languages were included in the Constitution.

• Then Sindhi, Konkani, Nepali, Manipuri, Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali were added after the amendment acts.

• The Sindhi language was added by the 21st Amendment Act of 1967.

• Konkani, Nepali, and Manipuri were included in the 71st Amendment Act of 1992.

• Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali were added by the 92nd Amendment Act of 2003.

• Now, 22 scheduled languages are included in the languages in the 8th schedule of the Constitution.

List Of 22 Scheduled Languages Of India / Official Language Of India

1. Assamese

2. Bengali

3. Gujarati

4. Hindi

5. Kannada

6. Kashmiri

7. Marathi

8. Malayalam

9. Oriya

10. Punjabi

11. Sanskrit

12. Tamil

13. Telugu

14. Urdu

15. Sindhi

16. Konkani

17. Nepali

18. Manipuri

19. Bodo

20. Dogri

21. Maithili

22. Santhali

Languages Spoken In India Percentage

The languages spoken in India are tabulated with the percentage of total language speakers, respectively, of languages spoken.

• Also, have an understanding of the 10 most Indian-speaking languages by several speakers.

• From the beginning of the article and the following paragraph, we have discussed the following topics:

• Languages of India with states, List of Languages in India statewise, List of Languages in Indian states, and List of languages spoken in India.

Important Revolutions in India

10 Most Spoken Languages in India by Number of Speakers

List of Dams In India

Spoken Languages of India Pie Chart

The pictorial representation of the languages spoken by percentage in India is shared with detailed splitting based on the number of speakers of that particular language.

Refer to the languages spoken in India pie chart below.

Classical Languages in India

The classical languages of India are selected based on certain criteria.

• Classical languages have independent literary traditions and written literature from the ancient period.

• All the Classical Languages are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Classical Languages in India Criteria

The idea of classical language originated in Europe. According to information provided by the Ministry of Culture in the Rajya Sabha in February 2014, the guidelines for declaring a language as ‘Classical’ are listed below. The government has provided certain guidelines to declare a certain language as classical. Here is the eligibility of language as a classical language criteria.

• The extraordinary antiquity of its early transcripts or verified history from 1500 to 2000 years.

• A body of ancient literature or texts is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers.

• The literary tradition should be original, unique, and not borrowed from another language community.

• Classical language and literature are different from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or sprouts.

Important Lakes in India

First Language To be Declared As Classical

Satisfying the norms given above, the first language to be declared as the classical language with the year of declaration is given.

• The first language to be accorded that status is Tamil. 

• Tamil was declared the classical language back in 2004. 

6 Classical Languages in India List

The 6 classical languages in India list is tabulated below, along with the year of the declaration of that language as classical. The languages of India including Hindi, are given below in this article.

Languages of India 2011 Census

The languages in India, based on the 2011 census, recognize 1369 rationalized mother tongues and 1474 names that were treated as ‘unclassified’ and relegated to the ‘other’ mother tongue category.

• These rationalized mother tongues were selected after a detailed language review, editing, and rationalization of 19,569 raw linguistic affiliations.

• 10,000 or more speakers spoke the rationalized mother tongues.

• They are further grouped into a total of 121 languages.

• Out of these 121 languages, 22 languages are already part of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India, and the other 99 are termed as "Total of other languages".

National Parks in India

Oldest Languages of India

The oldest languages of India are listed below for your reference. Based on their existence, the old languages in India are given. The languages of ancient India are an essential fact that everyone should be aware of.

11 Oldest Languages in India

The 11 oldest languages of India, based on their existence, are provided below.

• Tamil

• Sanskrit

• Kannada

• Telugu

• Malayalam

• Odia

• Marathi

• Bengali

• Gujarati

• Hindi

• Urdu

Famous Books for Competitive Exams

Languages Printed on Indian Currency notes 

Languages in Indian Currency: Contemporary currency notes by the Reserve Bank of India have 15 languages printed on them. This is in addition to the Hindi displayed in the centre and English on the reverse side of the note. The 15 languages printed on the note are:

• Assamese

• Bengali

• Gujarati

• Kannada

• Kashmiri

• Konkani

• Malayalam

• Marathi

• Nepali

• Oriya

• Punjabi

• Sanskrit

• Tamil

• Telugu

• Urdu

List of Tiger Reserves in India

Languages in India Quiz

The Languages in India quiz is given below for your practice. Answer all the questions with the given options.

Q. Which of the following is the official language of Arunachal Pradesh?

1. Hindi

2. Konkani

3. English

4. Manipuri

Correct Answer: (3)

Q. Which of the following is the official language of Jharkhand?

1. Hindi

2. English

3. Assamese

4. Marathi

Correct Answer: (1)

Q. Which of the following is the official language of Nagaland?

1. Bengali

2. Mizo

3. Nepali

4. English

Correct Answer: (4)

Q. Which of the following is the official language of Kerala?

1. Malayalam

2. Tamil

3. Kannada

4. Telugu

Correct Answer: (1)

Q. Which of the following is the official language of Himachal Pradesh?

1. Marathi

2. Hindi

3. Mizo

4. Angika

Correct Answer: (2)

FAQs

Q. Who conducts the language survey in India?

The survey is conducted by volunteers, including language experts, social historians, and the staff of the NGO organizations.

Q. What are the 22 languages in India / How many languages are in the Indian constitution?

The 22 official languages are Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Marathi, Malayalam, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Sindhi, Konkani, Nepali, Manipuri, Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali.

Q. Why are the 22 languages of India called scheduled languages?

The 22 official languages of India are included in the 8th schedule of the Constitution. Hence, they are called scheduled languages.

Q. Where is the Tamil language declared as the official language?

The Tamil language is declared as the official language in the state of Tamil Nadu in India.

Q. When was the census last taken for languages in India?

The last census was held in 2011 for all Indian languages.

Q. What are all the languages spoken in India? / How many languages will be spoken in India in 2024? /  How many Indian languages with the name?

In the 2011 census Indian government recognized 1369 rationalized mother tongues and 1474 names treated as ‘unclassified’ and relegated to the ‘other’ mother tongue category. Some of them are Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, etc. For more details, refer to this article.

Q. As per the census, India has how many major languages?

Q. Which language has the status of the national language in India / Is Hindi the national language of India / Which language in India is the national language?

According to the Indian constitution, there is no national language in India. Hindi and English are considered the official languages.

Q. How many classical languages are there in India?

Six classical Indian languages, namely Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia, have been given the status of classical languages.

Q. How many languages are there in India, and what is the ratio of Hindi speaking in India?

There are 22 official languages out of 121 languages as specified in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The ratio of Hindi speaking in India is 43.63% of the total population (52.83 crore speakers).

Q. What are the top 3 languages spoken in India?

The top 3 languages spoken in India are Hindi, Bengali, and Marathi.