Question 72 from UPSC CSE 2014 - Culture

Question

Consider the following languages:
1. Gujarati
2. Kannada
3. Telugu
Which of the above has/have been declared as 'Classical Language/Languages' by the Government?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. 2 and 3 only

Strategy: Focus on the 'Classical Language' status granted by the Government of India. Recall the official list of these languages. Since Telugu and Kannada are recognized and Gujarati is not, eliminate any option containing Gujarati to identify the correct answer, option C.

Key Info: **Classical Language Status in India**

The Government of India grants 'Classical Language' status to languages that meet specific criteria, including antiquity, a rich heritage of early texts, and an original literary tradition.

As of 2024, the six languages designated with this status are:
- Tamil (2004)
- Sanskrit (2005)
- Kannada (2008)
- Telugu (2008)
- Malayalam (2013)
- Odia (2014)

Kannada and Telugu, both Dravidian languages, possess ancient literary traditions. In contrast, Gujarati, an Indo-Aryan language, has not been conferred this status. The designation is made by the Ministry of Culture, and it includes benefits like establishing centers for the language's study and providing awards for scholars.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 and 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 3 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: 1, 2, and 3

Consider the following languages: Gujarati Kannada Telugu Which of the above has/have been declared as 'Classical Language/Languages' by the Government?

Consider the following languages:

Gujarati

Kannada

Telugu
Which of the above has/have been declared as 'Classical Language/Languages' by the Government?