New Delhi: A fresh clamour has begun for the inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Interestingly, among the 38 languages for which entry into the Eighth Schedule is being demanded is English, which has been at the centre of controversy for receiving preference over Hindi and other Indian languages in the UPSC’s civil services examinations.

The English language figures at number 10 in the list pending with the Union ministry of home affairs for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule.

The Eighth Schedule has 22 official languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi and Gujarati. Top government sources said the Narendra Modi government is expected to look at the issue afresh following concerns raised by various groups and organisations about the lack of approved criteria for inclusion of languages in the Eighth Schedule.

The demands have been pending since the tenure of the previous UPA government which was unable to take a decision on the list of recommendations pending with the MHA. Ministry officials said the new government does not want the issue to keep dragging and may put in place a mechanism to examine and finally dispose of the various pending proposals and recommendations.

“While the MHA has the recommendations made by the Sitakant Mohapatra Committee, no decision was taken by the previous government on laying down criteria for inclusion of more languages,” an official said.

A committee of linguistic experts was constituted in 2003 to evolve a set of objective criteria on the basis of which all proposals and representations for inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule could be examined and finally decided. Thereafter, an internal inter-ministerial committee was constituted by the ministry to holistically study the issue to suggest a set of uniform criteria taking into consideration factors such as development of a language, its usage and so on.