INCLUSION OF GOR BOLI IN THE EIGHTH SCHEDULE

Key Highlights:

• Demands exist for including 'Gor Boli' and other languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
• The government currently has no fixed criteria for including languages in the Eighth Schedule.
• Efforts by the Pahwa Committee and Sitakant Mohapatra Committee to establish criteria were inconclusive.
• The Sahitya Akademi has a Language Development Board to preserve and propagate endangered and tribal languages.
• Sahitya Akademi organizes Language Conventions and confers Bhasha Samman for contributions to unrecognized languages.
• Two centers, North-East Centre for Oral Literature (NECOL) and Centre for Oral and Tribal Literature (COTLIT), have been established by Sahitya Akademi to collect and preserve tribal and oral literature.

Detailed Insights:

• The inclusion of languages in the Eighth Schedule is a dynamic process influenced by socio-cultural, economic, and political developments.
• The government acknowledges the sentiments and requirements for including more languages in the Eighth Schedule.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs handles requests for Eighth Schedule inclusion, while the Ministry of Culture supports language preservation.
• A Banjara Language Convention was organized by Sahitya Akademi in Hyderabad in September 2022 as part of its efforts.
• Bhasha Samman recognizes scholars contributing to both classical/medieval and unrecognized/tribal languages, including Banjara.
• NECOL is located in Agartala and Imphal, focusing on the North-East, while COTLIT is in New Delhi.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Eighth Schedule: Lists the official languages of the Republic of India recognized by the Constitution.
• Sahitya Akademi: India's National Academy of Letters, promoting Indian literature and languages.
• Bhasha Samman: An award instituted by Sahitya Akademi to recognize significant contributions to languages.