Languages play a crucial role in communication, both in spoken and written formats. They consist of organized systems that incorporate grammatical rules and a specific set of vocabulary. This allows people to convey their thoughts or discuss their emotions in a preferred language. According to the 2011 census, India has approximately 123 major languages, of which only 30 are predominantly spoken. Among these, are 123 major languages 11 languages are considered classical languages they are, Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. The origins of languages can be traced back to the Iron Age. The subject of languages of India is significant for any government examinations conducted by both state and central government agencies. In this article on The Languages of India, we have included details about the number of languages spoken in each state, their second languages, and information about languages used in various Union Territories. Additionally, we have provided a distinction between the national and official languages of India. According to the constitution, 20 out of 28 states have a secondary official language. Which is used for government purposes in the places of courts and parliament etc. The table of the list of languages is available in PDF in both English and Hindi languages.

List of Languages of India PDF in English Download Link

List of Languages of India PDF in Hindi Download Link

National Languages in India

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 as 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 and consists of the main and secondary official state languages in India.

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 belonging to their location near the states and some UTs have secondary languages based on the migrated people from different locations of India. The list of official languages in the Union Territories of India 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 in 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 respective of languages spoken. Also, have an understanding of the 10 most Indian-speaking languages by several speakers. From the beginning of the article and from the following paragraph we have discussed the following topics Languages of India with states, List of Languages in India state-wise, 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 In 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 classical language criteria.

• 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 hired from another language community.
• Classical language and literature are diverse 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 with 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. Languages of India in 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 detailed language review, editing, and rationalization on 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 in India

The oldest languages of India list are given 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 in Indian Currency Note 

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 center 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 - Languages in India

The FAQs related to the languages in India are provided below.

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 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 did the 22 languages of India are 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 the Tamil language is declared as the official language?

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