(2) It shall be the duty of the Special Officer to investigate all matters relating to the safeguards

provided for linguistic minorities under this Constitution and report to the President upon those
matters at such intervals as the President may direct, and the President shall cause all such reports
to be laid before each House of Parliament, and sent to the Government of the States concerned.

Directive for development of the Hindi language

351. 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 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 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.

Schedule VIII
[Art. 344(1)&351]

1. Assamese 2. Oriya 3. Urdu

4. Kannada 5. Kashmiri 6. Gujarati
7. Tamil 8. Telugu 9. Punjabi
10. Bengali 11. Marathi 12. Malayalam
13. Sanskrit 14. Sindhi 15. Hindi.
16. Manipuri 17. Nepali 18. Konkani
19. Maithili 20. Santhali 21. Bodo
22. Dogri

4
 THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT, 1963
(Act No. 19 of 1963)
[10th May 1963]
An Act to provide for the languages which may be used for the official purposes of the Union,
for transaction of business in Parliament, for Central and State Acts and for certain purposes in
High Courts.
Be it enacted by Parliament in the Fourteenth Year of the Republic of India as follows:
1. Short title and Commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the Official Languages Act, 1963.
(2) Section 3 shall come into force on the 26th day of January, 1965 and the remaining provisions of
this Act shall come into force on such datel as the Central Government may, by notification in the
Official Gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act.
2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,
(a) "appointed day", in relation to section 3, means the 26th day of January, 1965 and in relation to
any other provision of this Act, means the day on which that provision comes into force:
(b) "Hindi" means Hindi in Devanagari Script.
2
[3. Continuance of English Language for official purposes of the Union and for use in
Parliament.
(1) Notwithstanding the expiration of the period of fifteen years from the commencement of the
Constitution, the English language may, as from the appointed day, continue to be used, in addition to
Hindi,
(a) for all the official purposes of the Union for which it was being used immediately before that
day, and
(b) for the transaction of business in Parliament:
Provided that the English language shall be used for purposes of communication between the Union
and a State which has not adopted Hindi as its Official Language:
Provided further that where Hindi is used for purposes of communication between one State which
has adopted Hindi as its Official Language and another State which has not adopted Hindi as its
Official Language, such communication in Hindi shall be accompanied by a translation of the same in
the English language:
Provided also that nothing in this sub-section shall be construed as preventing a State which has not
adopted Hindi as its Official Language from using Hindi for purposes of communication with the
Union or with a State which has adopted Hindi as its Official Language, or by agreement with any
other State, and in such a case, it shall not be obligatory to use the English language for purposes of
communication with that State.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) where Hindi or the English Language is
used for purposes of communication -
(i) between one Ministry or Department or office of the Central Government and another;
(ii) between one Ministry or Department or office of the Central Government and any corporation or
company owned or controlled by the Central Government or any office thereof;
1. S. 5(1) comes into force on the 10 January, 1965 vide Notification No. S.O. 94, dated the 4th January, 1965,
Gazette of India, Pt. II, Sec. 3(ii) p. 128. S. 6, comes into force on the 19th May, 1969, vide Notification No.
S.O. 1945, dated the 14th May, 1989, Gazette of India, Pt. II, See.3 (ii), p. 2024 S. 7 comes into force on the 7th
March, 1970, vide Notification No. S.O. 841, dated the 26th February, 1970, Gazette of India, Pt. II, Sec. 3(ii). S.
5(2) comes into Force on the 1st Oct.1976, vide Notification No. S.O. 655(E), dated the 5th October, 1976,
Gazette of India, Pt. II, See. 3 (ii), p. 1901.
2. Substituted by Act 1 of 1968, section 2 for section 3.

5
(iii) between any corporation or company owned or controlled by the Central Government or any
Office thereof and another;
a translation of such communication in the English language or, as the case may be, in Hindi shall also
be provided till such date as the staff of the concerned Ministry, Department, office or corporation or
company aforesaid have acquired a working knowledge of Hindi.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) both Hindi and the English language shall
be used for
(i) resolutions, general orders, rules, notifications, administrative or other reports or Press
communiques issued or made by the Central Government or by a Ministry, Department or office
thereof or by a corporation or company owned or controlled by the Central Government or by any
office of such corporation or company;
(ii) Administrative and other reports and official papers laid before a House or the Houses of
Parliament;
(iii) contracts and agreements executed, and licences, permits, notices and forms of tender issued by
or on behalf of the Central Government or any Ministry, Department or office thereof or by a
corporation or company owned or controlled by the Central Government or by any office of such
corporation or company.
(4) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) the
Central Government may, by rules made under section 8, provide for the language or languages to be
used for the official purpose of the Union including the working of any Ministry, Department, section
or office, and in making such rules, due consideration shall be given to the quick and efficient
disposal of the official business and the interests of the general public and in particular, the rules so
made shall ensure that persons serving in connection with the affairs of the Union and having
proficiency either in Hindi or in the English language may function effectively and that they are not
placed at a disadvantage on the ground that they do not have proficiency in both the languages.
(5) The provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (1), and the provisions of sub-section (2), sub-section
(3) and sub section (4) shall remain in force until resolutions for the discontinuance of the use of the
English language for the purposes mentioned therein have been passed by the Legislatures of all the
States which have not adopted Hindi as their Official Language and until after considering the
resolutions aforesaid, a resolution for such discontinuance has been passed by each House of
Parliament.
4. Committee on Official Language -(1) After the expiration of ten years from the date on which
section 3 comes into force, there shall be constituted a Committee on Official Language, on a
resolution to that effect being moved in either House of Parliament with the previous sanction of the
President and passed by both Houses.
(2) The Committee shall consist of thirty members, of whom twenty shall be members of the House of
the people and ten shall be members of the Council of States, to be elected respectively by the
members of the House of the People and the members of the Council of States in accordance with the
system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
(3) It shall be the duty of the Committee to review the progress made in the use of Hindi for the
official purpose of the Union and submit a report to the President making recommendations thereon
and the President shall cause the report to be laid before each House of Parliament and sent to all the
State Governments.
(4) The President may, after consideration of the report referred to in sub-section (3), and the views, if
any, expressed by the State Government thereon, issue directions in accordance with the whole or any
part of the report:
1
[Provided that the direction so issued shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of section 3.]
5. Authorised Hindi translation of Central Acts, etc. - (1) A translation in Hindi published under
the authority of the President in the Official Gazette on and after the appointed day
(a) of any Central Act or of any Ordinance promulgated by the President, or
(b) of any order, rule, regulation or bye-law issued under the Constitution or under any Central Act;
shall be deemed to be the authoritative text thereof in Hindi.
1 Inserted by Act of 1968, section 3.

6
(2) As from the appointed day, the authoritative text in the English language of all Bills to be
introduced or amendments thereto to be moved in either House of Parliament shall be
accompanied by a translation of the same in Hindi authorised in such manner as may be
prescribed by rules made under this Act.
6. Authorised Hindi translation of State Acts in certain cases—Where the Legislature of a
State has prescribed any language other than Hindi for use in Acts passed by the Legislature of
the State or in Ordinances promulgated by the Governor of the State, a translation of the same in
Hindi, in addition to a translation thereof in the English language as required by clause (3) of
article 348 of the Constitution, may be published on or after the appointed day under the authority
of the Governor of the State in the Official Gazette of the State and in such a case, the translation
in Hindi of any such Act or Ordinance shall be deemed to be the authoritative text thereof in the
Hindi language.
7. Optional use of Hindi or other Official Language in judgements etc., of High Courts - As
from the appointed day or any day thereafter the Governor of a State may, with the previous
consent of the President, authorise the use of Hindi or the Official Language of the State, in
addition to the English language, for the purposes of any judgement, decree or order passed or
made by the High Court for that State and where any judgement, decree or order is passed or
made in any such language (other than the English language), it shall be accompanied by a
translation of the same in the English language issued under the authority of the High Court.
8. Power to make rules - (1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official
Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.
(2) Every rule made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before
each House of Parliament while it is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be
comprised in one session or in two successive sessions, and if before the expiry of the session in
which it is so laid or the session immediately following, both Houses agree in making any
modification in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall
thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be, so
however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of
anything previously done under that rule.
9. Certain provisions not to apply to Jammu and Kashmir - The provisions of section 6 and
section 7 shall not apply to the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

7
 THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE RESOLUTION, 1968
Ministry of Home Affairs
New Delhi, the 18th January, 1968
The following Government Resolution, as adopted by both Houses of Parliament, is hereby published for
general information:
RESOLUTION
"WHEREAS under article 343 of the Constitution Hindi shall be the Official Language of the Union, and
under article 351 thereof it is the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi Language and
to develop it so that it may serve as a medium of expression for all the elements of the composite
culture of India;
This House resolves that a more intensive and comprehensive programme shall be prepared and
implemented by the Government of India for accelerating the spread and development of Hindi and its
progressive use for the various official purposes of the Union and an annual assessment report giving
details of the measures taken and the progress achieved shall be laid on the Table of both Houses of
Parliament and sent to all State Governments;
2. WHEREAS the Eighth schedule to the Constitution specifies 14 major languages of India besides Hindi,
and it is necessary in the interest of the educational and cultural advancement of the country that
concerted measures should be taken for the full development of these languages;
The House resolves that a programme shall be prepared and implemented by the Government of India,
in collaboration with the State Governments for the co-ordinated development of all these languages,
alongside Hindi so that they grow rapidly in richness and become effective means of communicating
modern knowledge;
3. WHEREAS it is necessary for promoting the sense of unity and facilitating communication between
people in different parts of the country that effective steps should be taken for implementing fully in
all States the three-language formula evolved by the Government of India in consultation with the
State Government;
This House resolves that arrangements should be made in accordance with the formula for the study of a
modern Indian language, preferably one of the Southern languages, apart from Hindi and English in
the Hindi speaking areas and of Hindi along with the regional languages and English in the non-Hindi
speaking areas.
4. AND WHEREAS it is necessary to ensure that the just claims and interest of people belonging to
different parts of the country in regard to the public services of the Union are fully safeguarded;
This House resolves -
(a) that compulsory knowledge of either Hindi or English shall be required at the stage of selection of
candidates for recruitment to the Union services or posts except in respect of any special services or
posts for which a high standard of knowledge of English alone or Hindi alone, or both as the case may
be, is considered essential for the satisfactory performance of the duties or any such service or post;
and
(b) that all the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution and English shall be permitted
as alternative media for the All India and higher Central Services examinations after ascertaining the
views of the Union Public Service Commission on the future scheme of the examinations, the
procedural aspects and the timing.
Sd
R.D. Thapar, Joint Secretary to the Government of India.

8
 THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES (USE FOR OFFICIAL PURPOSES OF THE UNION)
RULES, 1976 (AS AMENDED, 1987)
GS.R. 1052.—In exercise of the powers conferred by section 8, read with sub-section (4) of section 3 of
the Official Languages Act, 1963 (19 of 1963), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules,
namely:
1. Short title, extent and commencement-(1) These rules may be called the Official Languages (Use for
Official Purposes of the Union) Rules, 1976.
(2) They shall extend to the whole of India, except the State of Tamil Nadu.
(3) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Definitions. In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) "Act" means the Official Languages Act, 1963 (19 of 1963);
(b) "Central Government Office" includes:
and
(i) any Ministry, Department or office of the Central Government;
(ii) any office of a Commission, Committee or Tribunal appointed by the Central Government;
and
(iii) any office of a corporation or company owned or controlled by the Central Government;
(c) "Employee" means any person employed in a Central Government office;
(d) "Notified Office" means an office notified under sub-rule (4) of rule (10);
(e) "Proficiency in Hindi" means proficiency in Hindi as described in rule 9;
*(f) "Region A" means the State of Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and
Uttar Pradesh and the Union Territories of Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands;
*(g) "Region B" means the States of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab and the Union territory of
Chandigarh;
(h) "Region C" means the States and the Union territories other than those referred to in clause (f) and
(g);
(i) "Working knowledge of Hindi" means working knowledge of Hindi as described in rule 10.
3. Communications to States etc. other than to Central Government offices—(1) Communications
from a Central Government office to a State or a Union territory in Region A or to any office (not being a
Central Government office) or person in such State or Union territory shall, save in exceptional cases, be
in Hindi, and if any communication is issued to any of them in English, it shall be accompanied by a Hindi
translation thereof.
(2) Communication from a Central Government office:
(a) to a State or Union territory in Region B or to any office (not being a Central Government office) in
such State or Union territory shall ordinarily be in Hindi and if any communication is issued to any of
them in English, it shall be accompanied by a Hindi translation thereof:
Provided that if any such State or Union territory desires the communications of any particular class or
category or those intended for any of its offices, to be sent, for a period specified by the Government of the
State or Union territory concerned, in English, or in Hindi with a translation in the other language, such
communication shall be sent in that manner;
(b) to any person in a State or Union territory of Region B may be either in Hindi or in English.

*Official Languages (use for official purposes of the union) Amendment Rules 1987 No. I/14034/10/87 O.L. (A-1),
dated 9.10.1987.

9
 (3) Communications from a Central Government office to a State or Union territory in Region C or
to any office (not being a Central Government office) or person in such State shall be in English.
(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rules (1) and (2), communications from a Central
Government office in Region C to a State or Union territory of Region A or Region B or to any office (not
being a Central Government office) or person in such State may be either in Hindi or in English.
Provided that communications in Hindi shall be in such proportion as the Central Government
may, having regard to the number of persons having working knowledge of Hindi in such offices, the
facilities for sending communications in Hindi and matters incidental thereto, determine from time to
time.
4. Communications between Central Government Offices
Communications -
(a) between one Ministry or Department of the Central Government and another may be in Hindi
or in English;
(b) between one Ministry/Department of the Central Government and attached or subordinate
offices situated in Region A, shall be in Hindi and in such proportion as the Central Government may,
having regard to the number of persons having a working knowledge of Hindi in such offices, the facilities
for sending communication in Hindi and matters incidental thereto, determine from time to time;
(c) between Central Government offices situated in Region A, other than those specified in clause
(a) or clause (b), shall be in Hindi;
(d) by Central Government offices situated in Region A and Region B or Region C may be in
Hindi or in English;
Provided that these communications shall be in Hindi in such proportion as the Central
Government may, having regard to the number of persons having working knowledge of Hindi in such
offices, the facilities for sending communications in Hindi and matters incidental thereto, determine from
time to time;
(e) between Central Government offices situated in Region B or Region C may be in Hindi or English:
Provided that these communications shall be in Hindi in such proportion as the Central Government
may, having regard to the number of persons having working knowledge of Hindi in such offices, the
facilities for sending communications in Hindi and matters incidental thereto, determine from time to time;
Provided that a translation of such communication in the other language shall:
(i) where that communication is addressed to an office in Region A or Region B, be provided, if
necessary, at the receiving end;
(ii) where the communication is addressed to an office in Region C, be provided along with such
communication:
Provided further that no such translation in the other language shall be required to be provided if the
communication is addressed to a notified office.
5. Replies to communications received in Hindi-Notwithstanding anything contained in rules 3 and 4,
communications from a Central Government office in reply to communications in Hindi shall be in Hindi.
6. Use of both Hindi and English. Both Hindi and English shall be used for all documents referred to in
sub-section (3) of section 3 of the Act and it shall be the responsibility of the persons signing such
documents to ensure that such documents are made, executed or issued both in Hindi and in English.
7. Applications, representations etc-(1) An employee may submit an application, appeal or
representation in Hindi or in English.
(2) Any Application, appeal or representation referred to in sub-rule (1) when made or signed in Hindi,
shall be replied to in Hindi.
(3) Where an employee desires any order or notice relating to service matters (including disciplinary
proceedings) required to be served on him to be in Hindi, or, as the case may be, in English, it shall be
given to him in that language without undue delay.

10
8. Noting in Central Government offices-(1) An employee may record a note or minute on a file in
Hindi or in English without being himself required to furnish a translation thereof in the other
language.
(2) No Central Government employee possessing a working knowledge of Hindi may ask for an
English translation of any document in Hindi except in the case of documents of legal or technical
nature.

(3) If any question arises as to whether a particular document is of a legal or technical nature, it shall
be decided by the Head of the Department or office.
(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the Central Government may, by order
specify the notified Offices where Hindi alone shall be used for noting, drafting and for such other
official purposes as may be specified in the order by employees who possess proficiency in Hindi.
9. Proficiency in Hindi - An employee shall be deemed to possess proficiency in Hindi if
(a) he has passed the Matriculation or any equivalent or higher examination with Hindi as the medium
of
examination; or
(b) he has taken Hindi as an elective subject in the degree examination or any other examination
equivalent to or higher than the degree examination; or
(c) he declares himself to possess proficiency in Hindi in the form annexed to these rules.

10. Working knowledge of Hindi -(1) An employee shall be deemed to have acquired a working
knowledge of Hindi
(a) if he has passed
(i) the Matriculation or an equivalent or higher examination with Hindi as one of the subjects; or
(ii) the Pragya examination conducted under the Hindi Teaching Scheme of the Central
Government or when so specified by that Government in respect of any particular category of
posts, any lower examination under that scheme; or
(iii) any other examination specified in that behalf by the Central Government; or
(b) if he declares himself to have acquired such knowledge in the form annexed to these rules.

(2) The Staff of a Central Government office shall ordinarily be deemed to have acquired a working
knowledge of Hindi if eighty per cent of the Staff working therein have acquired such knowledge.

(3) The Central Government or any officer specified in this behalf by the Central Government may
determine whether the staff of a Central Government office has acquired a working knowledge of
Hindi.

(4) The names of the Central Government offices, the staff whereof have acquired a working
knowledge of Hindi, shall be notified in the Official Gazette:

Provided that the Central Government may if it is of opinion that the percentage of the staff working
in a notified office and having a working knowledge of Hindi has gone below the percentage spcified
in sub-rule (2) from any date, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare that the said
office shall cease to be a notified office from that date.
11. Manuals, Codes, other procedural literature, articles of Stationery, etc.—(1) All manuals,
codes and other procedural literature relating to Central Government offices shall be printed or
cyclostyled, as the case may be, and published both in Hindi and English in diglot form.
(2) The forms and headings of registers used in any Central Government office shall be in Hindi and
in English.
(3) All name-plates, sign boards, letter-heads and inscriptions on envelopes and other items of
stationery written, printed or inscribed for use in any Central Government office, shall be in Hindi and
in English:
11
Provided that the Central Government may, if it is considered necessary to do so, by general or special
order exempt any Central Government office from all or any of the provisions of this rule.

12. Responsibility for compliance (1) It shall be the responsibility of the administrative head of each
Central Government Office
(i) to ensure that the provisions of the Act and these rules and the directions issued under sub-rule (2) are
properly complied with; and
(ii) to devise suitable and effective check points for this purpose.

(2) The Central Government may from time to time issue such directions to its employees and officers as
may be necessary for the due compliance of the provisions of the Act and these rules.
FORM
(See Rules 9 and 10)
I hereby declare that I possess*proficiency in Hindi/have acquired a working knowledge of Hindi in view
of the following: -

………………………

Date:

Signature

*Delete whichever is not applicable.

12
 Important Directions regarding Official Language Policy

1. Under Section 3(3) of the Official Languages Act, 1963, Resolutions, General Orders, Rules,
Notifications, Administrative and Other Reports, Press Communiqués, Administrative and Other Reports
and Official Papers to be laid before a House or Houses of Parliament, Contract, Agreements, Licenses,
Permits, Tender Notices and Tender Forms should invariably be issued bilingually both in Hindi and
English. Under Rule 6 of the Official Language Rules, 1976, it shall be the responsibility of the person
signing such documents to ensure that such documents are prepared, executed or issued in both Hindi and
English languages.

2. As per Rule 5 of Official Language Rules, 1976, communications received in Hindi are to be replied in
Hindi only by the Central Government Offices.

3. Under Rule 10(4) of Official Language Rules, 1976, the Central Government Offices are required to
notify the names of the offices in the official gazette, wherein 80% of the staff have acquired working
knowledge of Hindi. The following items of work should be done in Hindi in the branches of the banks
notified under Rule 10 (4) of the Official Language Rules, 1976:-
‘Demand Drafts issued on applications filled in Hindi by customers and on applications filled in English
with the consent of customers. Payment Order, Credit Card, Debit Card, all kinds of lists, returns, fixed
deposit receipts, communications etc. regarding cheque-book, entries in daily Ledger, Muster Roll,
Dispatch Book, Pass Book, entries in Log Book, work relating to priority areas, security and customer
services, opening of new accounts, writing addresses on envelopes, work relating to travelling allowance,
leave, provident fund, house building advance, documents related to medical facilities for the employees,
agenda and minutes of the meetings.

4. Under Rule 8 (4) of the Official Language Rules, 1976, the Central Government Offices to issue orders
for the employees of the notified offices who have proficiency in Hindi to work only in Hindi for noting,
drafting and for such other official purposes as specified in the order.

5. As per Rule 11 of the Official Language Rules, 1976, all manuals, codes and procedural literature, the
forms and headings of registers, name plates, sign boards, letter heads and inscriptions on envelopes and
other items of stationary shall be in Hindi and in English. Accordingly, the Central Government Offices
are required to send all manuals, codes and other procedural literature relating to Non-Statutory procedural
literature to Central Translation Bureau for translation.

6. Rule 12 of the Official Language Rules, 1976 requires the Administrative Head of each Central
Government Office to ensure that the provisions of the Official Languages Act, Official Language Rules
and directions issued thereunder are properly complied with and to devise suitable and effective check
points for this purpose.

7. The Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs has re-emphasized on the suggestions
given by the Hon'ble Prime Minister in the minutes of the 31st meeting of the Central Hindi Committee.
These suggestions are: - To reduce the gap between official Hindi and Hindi used by public, to take
measures to further enrich Hindi through other languages of the country, to adopt good words from other
languages in Hindi, to add good words in Hindi from other Indian languages to ensure translation in Hindi
in simple language so that Official Language is not a hindrance but a help in the propagation of Hindi.

8. The Department of Official Language has urged all the Secretaries to the Government of India/Heads of
various Government Organizations that when they preside over the meeting of senior officers every month,
they should also review the progress made in official work in Hindi in them and discuss about the
implementation of various provisions of Official Languages Act and Rules in their [Link]
addition, the Joint Secretary (Administration) / Administrative Head of the organization should be
entrusted with the responsibility of Hindi implementation and to preside over the meeting of the Official
Language Implementation Committee in every quarter of the year.

13
9. The Official Language Cadre should be constituted in the Offices/Undertakings/Banks etc. and it should
be in conformity with the total posts. The Hindi officers of the subordinate offices of the
Ministries/Departments should be given the same pay scale and designation as the Central Secretariat
Official Language Service Cadre.

10. The answers of question papers, except that of the compulsory paper of English, should also be
allowed to be written in Hindi in recruitment examinations of subordinate services and such question
papers should be made available both in Hindi and English. In interview or oral test, the candidates may be
allowed the option to answer in Hindi.

11. The candidates should have the option to answer the question papers of all in-service,
departmental and promotion examinations (including All India Level Examinations) conducted by the
Central Government Offices, in Hindi. The question papers should compulsorily be set in both the
languages, Hindi and English. In interviews, the candidates may be allowed to answer the questions in
Hindi.

12. Scientists etc. should be motivated and encouraged to read their research papers in the Official
Language Hindi in all the scientific/technical seminars and discussions etc. Research papers should relate
to the main subjects of the Ministry/ Department and Office concerned.

13. The Central Government Offices may organize Hindi Seminars.

14. Every type of training, whether of long-term or of short term, generally be imparted through
Hindi medium in ‘A’ and ‘B’ Regions. To impart training in ‘C’ Region, the training material be prepared
both in Hindi and English and made available to the trainees in Hindi or English as per their requirements.

15. No Non-Governmental Organization has been authorized to impart training of Official

Language to the employees of Central Government Offices by the Department of Official Language,
Ministry of Home Affairs. Sufficient number of training centers across the country are functioning under
the Department of Official Language and they impart various types of training to the officers and
employees of the Central Government free of cost and they also organize workshops for deliberations on
Official Language. As per the directions of Department of Official Language, all the Central Government
Offices organize workshops for encouraging the use of Official Language in their respective offices.
Besides English, the facility of imparting online training of Hindi language through 14 Indian languages is
available on the website of Department of Official Language. Thus, it is not appropriate to incur
infructuous expenditure from the Government exchequer for participation in Official Language training
and workshops organized by NGOs.

16. To overcome the difficulties faced by various offices in doing the official work in Hindi, new
guidelines have come into effect forthwith to organize Hindi workshops. According to new guidelines, the
duration of workshop should be minimum one working day. Minimum two third of the time of workshop
shall be devoted to the actual practice of doing the official work in Hindi on the subjects related to that
office.
17. On the demand of Central Government offices, Central Hindi Training Institute imparts training
for Hindi language, Hindi typing and Hindi Stenography through video conferencing also. Similar
arrangements have also been made by Central Translation Bureau for imparting training to translators.

18. So long as the prescribed targets regarding Hindi typists and Hindi stenographers are not
achieved in the Central Govt. offices, only Hindi typists and Hindi stenographers should be recruited.

19. Officers/ employees associated with translation work & implementation of Official Language
Policy may be nominated for compulsory Translation Training in the Central Translation Bureau. Officers/
employees having knowledge of Hindi and English both at degree level whose services are likely to be
utilized for translation work by the office may also be nominated for translation training.

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20. Translators should be helped out with aids like, standard dictionaries (English-Hindi, Hindi-
English) and other technical glossaries.

21. The officers of IAS and other All India Services are imparted compulsory training in Hindi
during their training in Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie so that they
could make use of it in official work. However, most of the officers do not use Hindi in their official work
after joining the service. As such, officials/employees working under them do not get the right message.
Consequently, Hindi is not used in official work to the extent required. It is the constitutional obligation on
senior officers of the Central Government Offices to make progressive use of Hindi in their official work.
This in turn will motivate the officials/employees working under them, thereby giving impetus to the
compliance of the Official Language Policy.

22. All the Central Government Offices should widely promote and propagate the various incentive
schemes in their Offices in order to accelerate the use of Hindi, so that maximum number of
officials/employees are benefited by these schemes and maximum official work should be done in Hindi.

23. All the Central Government Offices should encourage writing of original books in Hindi on
subjects concerned and take necessary steps to enrich their Departmental Glossaries.

24. Hindi magazines are being published by the Central Government Offices to generate working
environment in Hindi. General activities and original articles pertaining to the particular office should be
published in these magazines. Main provisions of Official Language Policy may also be mentioned in
these magazines. The Central Government Offices are required to bring out e-version of these magazines
and to upload them on the ‘E-Patrika Pustakalaya’ platform provided by the Department of Official
Language to facilitate smooth access of the In-house magazines to the readers.

25. It has been noticed that in the website of many Departments, information in Hindi is not being
provided or in some cases it is not available completely in Hindi. Website should therefore be developed
and updated in Hindi.
26. The Department of Official Language, every year conducts Basic Computer Training
Programmes in Hindi through Central Hindi Training Institute and the duration of each programme is five
days. Maximum number of officers/employees may be nominated for these training programmes.
Trainees will be able to work in Hindi on computer after completion of the training programme. Details of
the programmes are available at the website of the Central Hindi Training Institute at [Link]-
[Link].
27. The Department of Official Language bestows the ‘Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar’ with an
objective to encourage writing books originally in Hindi in various streams of contemporary
knowledge/science and to promote use of Official Language Hindi. “Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar” are
given by the Department of Official Language to Ministries/Departments, Public Sector Undertakings,
Boards/Autonomous Bodies/Trusts etc., Nationalized Banks, Town Official Language Implementation
Committees and in-house Hindi Magazines which register significant progress in the use of Official
Language. Information about these two award schemes is available at the website of Department of
Official Language [Link].
28. The Department of Official Language, in its website, has provided the links of various
institutions through which one can see the glossary of those institutions. If any office has prepared its own
glossary, it may be shared with this Department so that others may also take advantage of it.
29. Hindi translation of the generally used English sentences has been provided by the Department
of Official Language on its website under the heading “E-Saral Hindi Vakyakosh” so that officers may
write noting in Hindi on files easily by using them.

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30. International Treaties and Agreements should invariably be prepared both in Hindi as well as in
English. There should be authentic translations of Treaties and Agreements entered into in other countries
and they should be kept on file for record.
31. In non-Hindi speaking States, respective Regional Language, Hindi and English should be used
in this order for boards, sign boards, name plates and directional indicators.
32. The officers/employees handling Hindi work including training and workshops should also be
provided good and sufficient space and other necessary facilities to sit in the office to facilitate them to
discharge their duties properly.
33. Emphasis should be given on the use of popular words in our routine work so that citizens have
anaccess to Government Policies/Programmes in simple Hindi language.

*****

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 CHAPTER 2
POLICY OREDERS RELATING TO THE USE OF HINDI

No. 1/14013/07/2010-OL(Policy-1) Date: 7.4.2011

Subject:- Use of languages which have been authorized by the State Governments to be used for
official purposes in addition to Hindi and English on boards, sign boards, name-plates and direction
signs in states using Hindi as the first language for official purposes.

The issue of usage of Languages in addition to Hindi and English which are authorized to be used
for official purposes on boards, sign boards, name-plates and direction signs in Hindi speaking States, i.e.,
States situated in Region 'A' (States whose Official Language is Hindi), has been seriously considered
keeping in view all relevant aspects.

2. Keeping in view the convenience of the general public residing in these states, and the welfare of
large sections of the society, it has been decided that all Central Government offices, public sector banks
and undertakings may write/print/paint/engrave information/materials on boards, sign boards, name plates
and the Direction Signs, in addition to Hindi and English, in such languages as are authorized by the State
Governments for use for official purposes. The size of alphabets in all languages will be the same.

3. The boards, sign boards, name-plates and direction signs shall first have Hindi written/engraved or
printed/painted/engraved. The order of the Official Languages of the states, and the English language will
be determined by the concerned department or the state government.

4. For non-Hindi speaking states i.e. states located in regions 'B' and 'C', instructions contained in
O.M. No. I/14013/5/76-O.L.(Impl.-1) dated 18.06.1977 for Boards, Sign Boards, Name plates and
Direction signs, according to which the regional language, Hindi and English are to be used in the same
order, will remain the same.

5. These orders will come into force with immediate effect.

[Link]. 1/14011/02/2011-OL(Policy-1), 26.9.2011

Subject: Guidelines for the use of simple and easy Hindi in official work.

It has repeatedly been emphasized from many important forums, including at the top-level meetings,
that colloquial language should be used in official work so that there is wider dissemination of Hindi and
its use as the Official Language of the Union. In the 30th meeting of the Central Hindi Committee held
under the chairmanship of Hon'ble Prime Minister on July 28, 2011; emphasis was laid on promoting the
simple form of Official Language Hindi. In continuation of the above meeting, in the inter-ministerial and
inter-departmental coordination and review meeting held on 8.9.2011 under the chairmanship of Hon'ble
Shri Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Home Affairs, many officers offered views about adopting a
simple form of Hindi language. This view received wide support.

2. There are two forms of any language - literary and functional language. The use of words of literary
language in the language of work reduces the interest of the common man towards that language and
increases mental opposition to it. Today's popular language at the international level, English has also
moulded itself a great deal with the changing times. Today's younger generation does not write English in
the style of famous English writers like Shakespeare, William Thackery or Matthew Arnold. Various
languages have made their place in the English language too, and everyday words have carved a niche for
themselves in its functional form. In the changing scenario, the form of working Hindi also must be made
simple and easy to understand. The use of difficult and less heard words in the Official Language increases
the hesitation in adopting the Official Language. Making the language intelligible and accessible while
preserving decency and decorum is the need of the hour.

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3. Whenever Hindi is used as a language of translation rather than working in official work
originally, the nature of Hindi becomes more complex and difficult. There is a dire need to
change the style of translation from English to Hindi. In good translation, it is necessary to
structure the sentence by understanding the sense and not to construct sentences by translating
each word. Translation in colloquial language means that popular words of other languages like
Urdu, English and other provincial languages should also be used freely in it. The pure form of
language is for the literary world; the popular and mixed form of the language is for colloquial
and functional uses.

4. On the occasion of Hindi Diwas on 14.9.2011, Hon'ble Home Minister, Shri [Link],
in his message to the nation, said that 'Hindi that is easy, simple and colloquial will be popular
among the people of different sections of the society and will be permanently used in a larger
area. The Cabinet Secretary has also stressed on the use of simple Hindi in the message sent to all
the ministries on the occasion of Hindi Diwas, saying that 'In the offices, we should use easy-to-
understand words in the drafts of notes and correspondence, as far as possible. By promoting
conversations in Hindi in meetings, discussions etc., the base of Hindi will become broader and
stronger. The officers themselves can set an example for their subordinates by adopting Hindi.

5. The Department of Official Language has issued instructions from time to time, to adopt a
simpler form of Hindi, and it would be apt to reiterate them:

(i) OM No. II/13034/23/75-OL(C) dated 17.3.1976

It was clearly stated in this office memorandum that official Hindi is not a separate type of
Hindi. It is not enough that the writer himself can understand what he has written. It is important
that the reader understands what the writer wants to say. It was also advised in this memorandum
that there should be no hesitation in using the popular words of other languages. If the technical
word written in Hindi sounds difficult, the English synonym should be written in 'bracket'. It
would be in everyone's interest to transliterate the English names of modern instruments, different
types of parts and new age things in the Devanagari script for the time being, rather than using
difficult terminology for translation.

(ii) O.M. No. 13017/1/88 (C) dated the 27.4.1988

It was stated in this office memorandum that in the meeting of Central Hindi Committee held
under the chairmanship of Prime Minister on 2.12.1987, this view was also expressed that the
translations made in Hindi should be in simple and natural language. The language of translation
should be such that it is easily understood by the common man.

(iii) Official letter No. 1/14013/04/99-OL(Policy) dated 30.6.1999

In this official letter it was stated that the language style of translation should be easy, simple,
natural, readable and understandable. Simple translation examples were also given with this letter.

(iv) Office Memorandum No. 1/14011/04/2010-OL (Policy-I) dated 19.7.2010

In this office memorandum, it was stated that not only simple and intelligible words should be
used in translation, but as far as possible short sentences should be constructed and instead of
translating every word, the sense of the sentence or part of it should be written in the style of
Hindi language. Instead of using difficult Hindi equivalents of words commonly used in English
or other languages, the same words should be transliterated in Devanagari script.

6. At present, a new and simple form of Hindi is coming to fore in Hindi magazines. If a similar
form of Hindi is adopted in official work, it will be able to spread widely. Some examples of
modern style of Hindi language being written in Hindi magazines are given below for your
information:
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