No Fixed Criteria for Adding Languages to Constitution

The Indian government has stated that no fixed criteria currently exist for including languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, making it impossible to establish a timeline for considering pending demands such as the inclusion of Bhojpuri.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha that while demands for various languages have been raised repeatedly, the *dynamic process* of language evolution - shaped by socio-cultural, economic, and political factors - makes it difficult to establish uniform criteria. Previous attempts through the *Pahwa Committee* (1996) and the *Sitakant Mohapatra Committee* (2003) failed to produce conclusive recommendations.

The Eighth Schedule currently recognizes 22 languages, granting them constitutional status and enabling their use in official and administrative functions. Various linguistic groups have sought inclusion, arguing that constitutional recognition would help preserve their linguistic and cultural heritage. The government acknowledged these sentiments but emphasized that requests must be examined considering multiple relevant factors beyond popular demand.