No time frame fixed to include Tulu in 8th schedule of Constitution: Govt

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday that there is demand to include several languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, including Tulu. However, there are no fixed criteria for consideration of any language for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, the Minister said.

Replying to Rajya Sabha member Veerendra Heggade question in Upper House, the Minister said, "As per 2001 census report, the total population speaking Tulu language as their mother tongue was 17,22,768, and in the 2011 census report it has increased to 18,46,427 persons."

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"There have been demands from time to time for inclusion of several languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, including Tulu. However, there are no fixed criteria for consideration of any language for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. The attempt to fix such criteria through Sitakant Mohapatra Committee has been inconclusive," the Minister said.

To a question on what would be the criteria to include language in 8th schedule of Constitution, the minister said "As the evolution of dialects and languages is a dynamic process,influenced by 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 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."

A total of 22 Indian languages are included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, the minister added.