A total of 22 languages of India are included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. In a written reply in Lok Sabha today, Minister of State of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai that 14 languages were initially included in the Constitution on 26th January 1950.
He said Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali were included in the list of languages in the Eighth Schedule on 7 January 2004. There have been demands from time to time for the inclusion of 38 languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, including Sambalpuri/Kosali, Garhwali and Kumaoni.
The minister informed that many of these languages are spoken in several states; therefore, their use is not restricted by State boundaries. He said at present there are no fixed criteria for any language to be considered for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.
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