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Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Demand for inclusion of Kokborok and Bhojpuri in Eighth Schedule of Constitution: A must-know for UPSC Exam
Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today on the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. (Relevance: The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution is an important topic for UPSC CSE. Previously, the commission has asked questions on it; for instance, in the 2024 prelims, a question was asked on the languages included in the Eighth Schedule through the Constitution (71st Amendment) Act, 1992. Thus, knowing about the Eight Schedule from a broader perspective becomes essential.) Recently, in a letter to Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, the Kokborok Sahitya Parishad sought the inclusion of the Kokborok language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The tribal literary body stated that the script for the Kokborok language can either be Bengali or Devanagari. Notably, earlier on International Mother Tongue Day (February 21), at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, Dr Santosh Patel and a group of supporters gathered to demand the inclusion of Bhojpuri in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Spoken by millions of people across several countries, Bhojpuri holds constitutional status in both Mauritius and Nepal, but it remains constitutionally unrecognised in India. In the context of rising demands for inclusion of various languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, let's understand what this schedule is all about and other important aspects related to it. 1. The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India lists the languages officially recognised by the Government of India. Articles 344(1) and 351 of the Constitution contain provisions relating to the Eighth Schedule. 2. Article 344 (1) provides for the constitution of a Commission by the President on expiration of five years from the commencement of the Constitution and thereafter at the expiration of ten years from such commencement, which shall consist of a Chairman and such other members representing the different languages specified in the Eighth Schedule to make recommendations to the President for the progressive use of Hindi for official purposes of the Union. 3. Article 351 of the Constitution provides that it shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language to develop it so that it may serve as a medium of expression for all the elements of the composite culture of India and to secure its enrichment by assimilating without interfering with its genius, the forms, style and expressions used in Hindustani and in the other languages of India specified in the Eighth Schedule, and by drawing, wherever necessary or desirable, for its vocabulary, primarily, on Sanskrit and secondarily on other languages. 4. As of May 2025, 22 languages have been classified under the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. Initially, however, the Eighth Schedule included 14 languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya (renamed to Odia in 2011), Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. 5. These 14 languages were selected from among the hundreds identified by George A Grierson in his Linguistic Survey of India which catalogued over 700 linguistic varieties across the subcontinent as early as 1927. 6. Over time, the Schedule expanded beyond the original 14 languages to include Bodo, Dogri, Konkani, Maithili, Manipuri, Nepali, Santhali, and Sindhi, bringing the total to 22. 7. Sindhi was added through the 21st Amendment Act of 1967; Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali were added by the 71st Amendment Act of 1992; and Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali were included through the 92nd Amendment Act of 2003. 8. Interestingly, English — despite its widespread use and role in official spheres — has never been part of the Eighth Schedule. 1. The Constituent Assembly did not lay down any formal criteria for the inclusion of languages in the Eighth Schedule. However, from time to time, efforts have been made by various committees to define clearer criteria for inclusion. 2. The Ashok Pahwa Committee (1996) proposed that a language could be included in the Eighth Schedule if: (i) it was an official language in at least one state; (ii) a significant portion of a state's population spoke it; (iii) it was an independent language rather than a dialect or derivative of one already listed; (iv) it had recognition from the Sahitya Akademi; and (v) it possessed a well-defined and developed literary tradition. 3. Later, the Sitakant Mohapatra Committee (2003) added more specific benchmarks. It recommended that a language must have at least 5 million speakers, based on census data from the previous three decades, to qualify as being spoken by a substantial population. The language should also serve as a medium of instruction at least up to the secondary level, preferably extending to the university level. Additionally, its script—whether indigenous, borrowed from a dominant regional language, or using Devanagari—should have been in established use for at least 50 years. 4. Notably, despite these efforts, no official standard has been adopted for selecting languages for the Eight schedule. The Ministry of Home Affairs confirms this position: 'As the evolution of dialects and languages is dynamic, influenced by socio-eco-political developments, it is difficult to fix any criterion for languages, whether to distinguish them from dialects, or for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.' The benefits of being listed in the Eighth Schedule are both symbolic and practical. Such as: (i) Languages listed in the Eighth Schedule are eligible for translation services in Parliament if spoken by any member, (ii) They are included as options in the Indian language paper for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations, (iii) Receive developmental funds from the central government, as language falls under the Concurrent List. 1. Last year, 'Classical Language' status was granted to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali, and it brought the total number of officially designated classical languages to 11. Previously, only six languages held the 'Classical' status: Tamil (2004), Sanskrit (2005), Kannada (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014). (Notably, among all the classical languages, Prakrit and Pali are the two classical languages that are not mentioned in the eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution.) 2. Classical languages are considered the custodians of India's ancient and profound cultural heritage. They preserve the rich history, literature, and traditions of their respective communities. The government grants this status to languages to honor and safeguard the linguistic milestones of India's diverse cultural landscape. 3. In October 2004, the Centre decided to create a new category of languages as 'classical languages'. On October 12, 2004, Tamil became the first Indian language to receive 'classical' status due to its high antiquity and rich literary tradition. (1) The Constitution (71st Amendment) Act, 1992 amends the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution to include which of the following languages? (UPSC 2024) 1. Konkani 2. Manipuri 3. Nepali 4. Maithili Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 2 and 4 (c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 2, 3 and 4 (2) The Ashok Pahwa Committee (1996) and Sitakant Mohapatra Committee (2003) were associated with: (a) Reforms in the Lok Sabha (b) Caste Census (c) Eighth Schedule (d) Delimitation (3) Consider the following languages: 1. Manipuri 2. Bodo 3. Kashmiri What is the correct chronological order of these languages as they were included in the eighth schedule of the Constitution of India? (a) 3—2—1 (b) 1—2—3 (c) 2—1—3 (d) 3—1—2 (Sources: Knowledge Nugget of the day: Classical languages, The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution: how language inclusion creates exclusion) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Report: Trump taps Andy Byford, ‘Train Daddy,' to head Penn Station rebuild
Former NYC Transit head Andy Byford has been chosen by President Trump to head up the effort to rebuild Penn Station, according to the White House. Trump's apparent selection of Byford — a respected authority on railroad and transit operations who has run systems in Toronto, New York, London and Sydney — comes one month after the federal government pulled the stalled project away from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The news was first reported Friday by the West Side Spirit. Byford's leadership could signal an unexpected commitment to the project on the part of the mercurial Trump administration, and signal a departure from prior elements of Amtrak's plan — such as possibly abandoning the demolition of a city block south of the station in order to build more tracks for NJ Transit. Byford — whose short two-year stint at the head of NYC Transit endeared him to transit workers and riders alike, earning him the nickname 'Train Daddy' — has been working at Amtrak on high-speed rail since 2023. That same year, as previously reported by The News, Byford opined — albeit in a personal capacity — on several of the more controversial elements of the Penn Station plan at a public talk about the station. '[I]t would break my heart to see beautiful buildings torn down on Eighth and Seventh Aves. when they don't need to be,' he said at the time. Byford also indicated his support for so-called 'through-running,' an arrangement that would see trains continue on to other destinations beyond Penn Station before turning around or reversing — an arrangement that would reduce the time trains sit stationary at Penn and could allow for more frequent service. Despite the fact that many NJ Transit trains do, in fact, travel on to a yard in Queens after making their last stop at Penn, Amtrak has historically argued that through-running is not possible, citing incompatibilities among the equipment used by the three railroads — Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit — that use the station. It was unclear on Friday whether Byford would have the authority to change Amtrak's existing plans, like the proposed demolition of Block 780 — the city block between W. 31st and W. 30th Sts., bounded by Seventh and Eighth Aves. — in order to create more platform space for NJ Transit commuter trains. The news of Byford's involvement was welcomed by close watchers of Penn's redevelopment. Layla Law-Gisiko — who heads the City Club of New York, a preservation group that opposes the plan to demolish the blocks around Penn — described Byford as an 'obvious' choice. 'I am overjoyed,' she told The News. 'He knows rail. He knows infrastructure. He knows community engagement in New York. He has the highest level of integrity. This guy has no ego.' Samuel Turvey of the advocacy group ReThinkNYC, who also opposes the state plan, described Byford's selection as 'a really great choice for everyone in the New York region.' 'Andy Byford has had great success on three continents, including his time in New York, and will bring integrity, competence and advanced leadership skills to the multi-decade conundrum at Penn Station,' he said. 'He will not, however, be able to do this on his own. He will need all of us to help him succeed.'
The Guardian
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Carducci Quartet review – terror and tumult as Shostakovich focus widens
A decade ago, marking 40 years since the composer's death, the Carducci Quartet played Shostakovich's 15 string quartets in a remarkable day-long marathon. This year is the 50th anniversary, but how do you follow that? For the Carduccis, the answer was to look outwards: programming the Shostakovich quartets they've played so often across five concerts alongside works by the Russian composer's students and sharing their platform with newer, up-and-coming groups. The Carduccis opened this penultimate concert with Shostakovich's String Quartet No 4, which runs from spare, plaintive folksiness to full-throttle pseudo-klezmer. The former showcased the Carduccis' exquisitely blended tone. The latter, the drama that can be generated from rustic pizzicatos, the hard catch of bow hair on string, the intensity of a cello melody eked out of a stratospheric thumb position. But there was also a hint of business as usual – the first violin always dominant, energy always injected by the cello, the overall sound always mellow. No such danger with the Elmore Quartet, which played Shostakovich's String Quartet No 13 with the ferocity of musicians determined to make an impact. Vibrato was banished; the vibrant array of tone colours came from bow control alone. The results were sometimes unearthly, sometimes brutal – the first violin's interjections at one point picked off the string in nasty little wedges and Shostakovich's wooden knocks (bow against instrument) terrifying. The audience fell absolutely silent. After the interval, the Elmores returned with Elena Firsova's String Quartet No 4 'Amoroso', with the composer present. The violins fired pizzicatos like gunshots and contrapuntal lines were served searing. But there were also moments of sudden beauty, poised amid the tumult. No Shostakovich quartet is better known than his Eighth, played here in Rudolf Barshai's chamber arrangement by the Carducci, Kyan and Oculus quartets plus two of the Elmores and double bassist Chris West. Such a lineup created a strange, occasionally scrappy blend: quartets, after all, fashion their own distinct sound and don't easily merge into an ad hoc string orchestra. But this remained gripping in parts, its stabbed chords grizzly, its repeated theme nightmarish, the double bass casting shadow across the texture like a bruise. The Carducci festival at Highnam, Gloucestershire, is on 16-18 May
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Weiser wants judge to block DOJ's involvement in Tina Peters' incarceration
MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said President Donald Trump's administration is wielding 'political power' by giving unprecedented help to the ex-Mesa County Clerk and Recorder. Now, Weiser wants a magistrate judge to block the Justice Department's involvement in Tina Peters's incarceration. Peters was convicted last year of unauthorized access to election machines in 2021. The U.S. Justice Department submitted in March a federal court filing in support of Peters' fight to be freed from prison. She's currently appealing a state court conviction for allowing Trump supporters to access election equipment. In a statement of interest, the DOJ said its concerns relate to Peters' 'exceptionally lengthy sentence,' First Amendment rights violations and the state's denial of bail pending appeal, which is 'arbitrary or unreasonable under the Eighth and 14th Amendments.' Peters was sentenced to nine years of incarceration in October. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOJ investigating Peters prosecution
MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – The Department of Justice announced it is reviewing the prosecution of ex-Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters after 'reasonable concerns have been raised.' In a statement of interest filed Monday, the DOJ said these concerns relate to Peters' 'exceptionally lengthy sentence,' First Amendment rights violations and the state's denial of bail pending appeal, which is 'arbitrary or unreasonable under the Eighth and 14th Amendments.' Peters, who is incarcerated in Larimer County Detention Center, was found guilty Aug. 12 of violating her duty, official misconduct, failure to comply with the Colorado Secretary of State's Office, three counts of attempting to influence a public servant and one of two counts of conspiracy to commit impersonation. 'Accordingly, the United States respectfully submits that the concerns raised in the Application warrant —at the very least —prompt and careful consideration by this Court (and, at the appropriate time, the Colorado appellate courts),' the DOJ wrote. This statement of interest comes not long after Peters' attorneys requested a writ of habeas corpus last month while she waits for the Colorado Court of Appeal's review of her charges. In the application, Peters reportedly suffers from serious health issues and that, while behind bars, her physical and mental health have deteriorated. President Donald Trump's DOJ's review will also evaluate the state's prosecution of Peters and whether the case was 'oriented more toward inflicting political pain than toward pursuing actual justice or legitimate governmental objectives,' the filing read. Peters can't be pardoned by Trump since she was convicted on state charges. It's ultimately Colorado Gov. Jared Polis' decision whether to release her or not. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
