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Hindi Diwas marks the Constituent Assembly's 1949 language decision
Why in News?
The Constitution never names a national language: the Article 343 line every Prelims aspirant misreads
Hindi Diwas commemorates the Constituent Assembly's 1949 decision, embodied in Article 343, to adopt Hindi in Devanagari script as the Union's official language.
Why it matters: GS-2 core; factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 min read
Hindi Diwas is observed every year on 14 September, the day in 1949 on which the Constituent Assembly adopted Hindi in the Devanagari script as the official language of the Union.
Article 343 of the Constitution designates Hindi as the official language, while English continues to be used for official purposes alongside it.
The Constitution does not name Hindi as the sole national language of India.
Sources: Indian Express · Topper IAS editorial
Key facts
Remember these
- Hindi Diwas is observed every year on 14 September.
- It marks the Constituent Assembly's 1949 adoption of Hindi in Devanagari script as the Union's official language.
- Article 343 of the Constitution designates Hindi as the official language of the Union.
- English continues to be used for official purposes alongside Hindi.
- The Constitution does not name Hindi, or any language, as India's sole national language.
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- Article 343 of the Constitution designates Hindi in the Devanagari script as the official language of the Union.
- The Constituent Assembly adopted this provision on 14 September 1949.
- English continues to be used for official purposes of the Union alongside Hindi.
- The Constitution does not designate any language as the 'national language' of India.
Mains
GS Paper 2 - Polity: the recurring conflation of 'official language' with 'national language' stems from a plain reading of Article 343, which confers official status on Hindi without naming any language national. This provision, alongside the Eighth Schedule and Article 351, shapes Centre-state language politics and requires continued use of English as an associate official language to protect linguistic diversity and federal sensitivities.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
Which constitutional provision declares Hindi in the Devanagari script to be the official language of the Union?
- Article 350
- Article 343
- Article 351
- Article 344
Show answer
Answer: B — Article 343 of the Constitution declares Hindi in the Devanagari script as the official language of the Union, with English continuing for official purposes as provided by law.
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