Why in the News? 

The Center granted classical language status to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali, acknowledging their rich heritage

What is a Classical Language? 

• The terms "Indian classical languages," “Shastriya Bhasha” or "Semmozhi" refers to a group of languages that have a long history and a rich, unique, and distinctive literary legacy. 
• In 2004, the Indian government began designating languages as "Classical Languages" to acknowledge and preserve their ancient legacy. 
• It was established by the Linguistic Experts' Committee and the Ministry of Culture. 
• Criteria for Classical Languages
  • High Antiquity: Early texts and recorded history spanning 1500 – 2000 years.  
  • Ancient Literature: Possession of a body of ancient literature/texts considered valuable heritage by generations.  
  • Knowledge Texts: Presence of an original literary tradition not borrowed from another speech community.  
  • Distinct Evolution: The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there can also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots. 

• According to a resolution, issued on 1st November 2004 -  
  • Two international awards are given annually to scholars who have made notable contributions to the research, teaching, or promotion of classical Indian languages.   
    • Presidential Award of Certificate of Honour 
    • Maharshi Badrayan Samman Award.  
  • The University Grants Commission (UGC) supports the creation of Professional Chairs in central universities and research institutions to focus on classical Indian languages.  
  • To safeguard and promote these linguistic treasures, government established the Center of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages at the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) in Mysore.