In
the post-Independence India, the language use in administration at both the State
and the Union levels are governed by the Constitution and official Language Acts
and are guided by the advice of official Language Commissions, etc. In this section
issues relating to functions already elucidated, the modus operandi as to how
they are achieved and the principles that govern them are elucidated. The four
reports that are dealt with are:
i)
The Report of the Official Language Commission, Government of India and the Report
of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Languages.
ii) The Report of the
Official Language Review Committee, Government of Andhra Pradesh.
iii) The
Report of the Kannada Language Committee, Government of Karnataka.
1.
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE COMMISSION
The Official Language Commission was appointed by the Government of India to make
recommendations to the President as to -
a)
the progressive use of the Hindi language for the official purposes of the Union;
b) restrictions on the use of the English language for all or any of the official
purposes of the Union.
c) the language to be used for all or any of the purposes
mentioned in Article 348 of the Constitution;
d) the form of numerals to be
used for any one or more specified purposes of the Union;
e) the preparation
of a time schedule according to which and the manner in which Hindi may gradually
replace English as the official language of the Union and as a language for communication
between the Union and the State Governments and between one State Government and
another.1
The Report of the Official Language Commission presented an in-depth study of
problems relating to language use in administration. According to its terms and
conditions the Commission was concerned about the progressive use of Hindi for
official purposes, restriction on the use of English language, etc. The Commission
found that "a common linguistic medium for Official Union purposes is administratively
necessary (whatever view one may hold about the non-official sector) the need
for establishing Hindi as such is of significance correspondingly to the significance
of maintaining the country's political unity and integrity"2. It made specific
recommendations relating to the official language of the Union; progress in the
use of Hindi in State administration, language of legislation, Union Language
and Public Service Examination, propagation and development of Hindi and regional
language, etc.
Language
Use
Regarding language use, the Commission considered 'preparation and standardization
of the necessary special terminology', 'translation of rules, regulations, manuals,
handbooks and other procedural literature' into Hindi as pre-requisites of a change
over (from English to Hindi)3. And while doing such a translation it advised for
'a measure of uniformity in the translations of this procedural literature'.
Government
Employees
In the government Employees linguistic ability that was aimed in Hindi was equal
to that of English as demonstrated in the 'qualification for purposes of recruitment
to various categories'. However, "during earlier stages perhaps a slightly
lower standard might suffice".4 For the employees who are 45 in age and above
'comprehending knowledge' of Hindi and not 'high levels of linguistic ability
for purposes of expression corresponding to the levels of their ability in English'
was recommended. Also, it recommended for "Government to impose, ... obligatory
requirements on Government servants to qualify themselves in Hindi within a reasonable
period to the extent requisite for the discharge of their duties"5.
All
India Administrative Agencies
The Language Policy for all India administrative agencies such as Railways, Posts
and Telegraphs, Excise, Customs, Tax Departments 'with a view to the convenience
of the public' recommended was "a measure of permanent bilingualism. That
is 'they will use the Hindi language for purposes of internal working and respective
regional languages in their public dealings in the respective regions"6.
Also to achieve this type of bilingualism Official Language Commission suggested
for reviewing and decentralizing of the staff structure and revision of recruitment
methods and qualifications for recruitment in these departments. Here the knowledge
of Hindi is compulsory, but the standard of it 'could be some what lower'. It
can be improved upon by in service training. Keeping in view "the instrumentality
of these departments, the Commission cautioned against their use as a 'lever'
to force the pace of Hindi propagation at the cost of convenience to the public".7
In case of India Audit and Accounts Department in the light of the States adopting
the concerned regional language as the Official Language recommended 'to arrange
that the staff of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department dealing with the affairs
of the States is versed in that language sufficiently for the purpose of carrying
out its duties of compiling and the exercise of audit'. Hence the Accountant General's
Office in a State "should be capable of compiling accounts returns submitted
in the regional language and conducting audit with reference to noting and administrative
language"8. The revision of staff structure suggested for other organizations
said above is to be applied here also.
Language
of Legalisation
Regarding the Language of Legislation the Official Language Commission correctly
makes a distinction "between the language to be accepted for the proceedings
and deliberations of legislative bodies and the language of the enactments which
they legislate depending upon their functionality"9. And regarding language
adopted for proceedings recommends that when Hindi takes the place of English
in the Parliament and Official Language of the State in the concerned State Legislature
if a Member is not able to express 'in Hindi, the State language concerned or
in his own mother tongue' it is "advisable that provision should be made
to empower the presiding authorities in such cases to permit the members to address
the House in English"10. Since eventually authoritative enactment ought to
be in Hindi in both Parliament and State legislations, the Commission recommended
for the sake of public convenience publication of translations "of the enactments
in different regional languages. In respect of State Legislation, this would be
normally necessary with regional language(s) prevalent in the State, whereas in
respect of Parliamentary legislation it may be necessary in all the important
regional languages current in the country"11. Finally when the total change
over from English to Hindi is implemented "the language of legislation and
also of course consequently the language of all statutory orders, rules, etc.,
issued under only law, should be in the Hindi language"12.
Medium of
Competitive Examinations
Medium of language in which the competitive examinations for all India and Central
Services are to be conducted was also a question examined by the Official Language
Commission. It recommended that 'the alternative of the Hindi medium in addition
to the existing English medium may be introduced after the notice. As and when
other regional languages become medium of instruction in the Universities up to
graduation stage as Hindi has done the admission of other linguistic media will
have to be considered'. And "the medium of the English language may be continued
as an alternative for as long as may be necessary, etc"13.
2.
PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE
The recommendations of the Official Language Commission were considered by the
Parliamentary Committee with G.B. Pant as the Chairman. The Parliamentary Committee
advised to dropping the recommendation relating to punitive measure for the employees
who do not learn Hindi within the pecific period; not to put a condition that
employees above the age 45 years should learn Hindi; the recommendation relating
to language use in the Parliament and Legislature are beyond the jurisdiction
of the Official Language Commission. Regarding the language medium for the competitive
examinations of the Union the Committee suggested inclusion of Hindi as a desirable
medium after some time; English and Hindi could be kept for as long as necessary
allowing the candidates to choose any one of them. Even after change of the medium
of examination a compulsory paper on English should be there as long as Hindi
is brought to use completely, etc."14.
3.
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE REVIEW COMMITTEE
The Official Language Review Committee of Andhra Pradesh was constituted on 10th
November 1967 to review the implementation of the orders issued by the Government
under the Andhra Pradesh Official Language Act, 1966. Broadly the terms of reference
for the Committee were :
i)
to review the progress made in the implementation of the orders issued by the
Government in regard to the use of Telugu for official purpose;
ii) to
suggest methods, if any, for better implementation thereof; and
iii) any other
matter that may be entrusted to it by the Government.
In the Taluk level, the Committee felt that with greater effort of the superior
officers, training of typists, supply of type-writers and switching over to Telugu
printed forms, Telugu can be implemented as official language completely. The
Committee also suggested for extending of the Telugu language use in offices to
the district offices in two years and in five years to the State level; use of
Telugu in Legislature for answering questions, call attention notices; use in
the mofussil courts for administration of justice; training of non-Telugu knowing
staff in noting and drafting; extension of the facility for option to the candidates
to answer in Telugu all the papers except English Composition in Group I and I
services of the Pubic Service Commission, etc. Regarding other languages used
for specific purposes in the State the Committee recommended for independent steps
to betaken to review their use. However, said that observations made by the Committee
regarding Telugu will apply mutatis mutandis to these languages also.15
4.
KANNADA LANGUAGE COMMITTEE
The Kannada Language Committee was appointed by the Government of Karnataka (then
Mysore) on 6th August, 1970 'to make recommendations to the Government as to the
steps to be taken to use Kannada as the language of Administration in all sub-division
level offices of the State from 1st November, 1970 and also for progressive use
of Kannada at all levels of administration'.
Here it can be seen that when a language becomes official language, and when it
is to be used for administration, the concerns of the public, the concerns of
the Government employees and the Language Committees get reflected in type of
suggestions that they make for effective implementation. They are very well brought
out in the Report of the Kannada Language Committee.
The officials suggested to the Committee to supply the typewriters; glossary lists,
Acts and Bills in Kannada; create facilities for learning Kannada typing; orders
to be issued from the Secretariat and the Heads of the Department should be in
Kannada, so that those could be considered as authorized Kannada versions; preference
to be given to Kannada knowing persons in KPSC and UPSC examinations; interviews
to be conducted in Kannada only; in all the departmental examinations, at least
one question be asked in Kannada and answered in Kannada; appointment of a translator
in the office of the Deputy Commissioner; Kannada be implemented at all levels
of administration.
The public and representatives of organizations suggest for administration at
all levels in Kannada; offices to be manned by people knowing Kannada; Kannada
in sign boards; interviews in Kannada for Government offices and appointments
in factories, etc. Kannada in court; fixation of time limit to non-Kannada knowing
as compulsory subject; Kannada as medium of instruction in all schools; teaching
Kannada as compulsory subject; Kannada as medium of instruction in all schools;
relevant material for use of Kannada in administration to be made available for
public also; priority for applications received in Kannada; compulsory teaching
of Kannada at all levels along with other languages; while implementing the recommendations
safeguards required to be accorded to linguistic minority must be taken into consideration;
preference should be given to the persons who have passed the degree with Kannada
as optional subject; etc.16
In the light of recommendations of these Commissions and Committees, the recommendations
of the All India Official Languages Conference held from 1st to 3rd March, 1978
could be seen. The conference recommended for a time-bound programme to conduct
the entire work in the concerned official language as 'the progress in this respect
is not satisfactory'; work should be done originally in the Official Language
but not through translation; the language used in administration should be simple
and intelligence which may be easily understood by an ordinary employee or members
of the public; to take prompt action on the letters received from the members
of the public in regional language in the offices of the Central Government located
in non-Hindi speaking areas; for the recruitment, examinations conducted by the
States, Public Service Commission and other recruitment agencies in addition to
a paper in English or Hindi there should be one compulsory paper on any Indian
language recognized by the State (including the official language); candidates
opting for a language other than the Official Language of the State should be
required to appear in the prescribed examination in Official Language after entering
into the service and in "All India Service Examination there should be a
compulsory paper of a modern Indian language mentioned in the Eighth Schedule
of the Constitution, etc."17