Seventy-first Amendment of the Constitution of India

The Seventy-first Amendment of the Constitution of India, officially titled The Constitution (Seventy-first Amendment) Act, 1992, marked a significant development in India’s linguistic and cultural policy. The amendment added Konkani, Meitei (officially called Manipuri), and Nepali to the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, thereby increasing the total number of officially recognised languages from fifteen to eighteen. This legislative action reflected the Government of India’s continuing commitment to recognising the linguistic diversity of the nation and ensuring the development of languages spoken by substantial sections of the population.

Background and Constitutional Context

The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India enumerates the languages that the Government of India is responsible for promoting and developing. When the Constitution came into effect in 1950, it included fourteen languages, namely: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
Over time, linguistic movements and cultural assertions led to demands for inclusion of additional languages. The Twenty-first Amendment (1967) added Sindhi as the fifteenth language in recognition of the Sindhi-speaking community displaced during the Partition of India.
By the 1980s, several other linguistic groups sought similar constitutional recognition, including speakers of Konkani, Meitei, and Nepali. These movements were rooted in long-standing historical and cultural claims for official status, with each language possessing its own literary tradition, cultural identity, and socio-political influence.

Linguistic and Political Movements Leading to the Amendment

1. Konkani Language Movement: Konkani, spoken primarily in Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala, had a distinct identity separate from Marathi, despite centuries of cultural intermixing. The language became a symbol of Goan identity, particularly after the Liberation of Goa from Portuguese rule in 1961. The agitation for recognition intensified through the All India Konkani Parishad and culminated in the declaration of Konkani as the official language of Goa under the Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act, 1987.
2. Meitei (Manipuri) Language Movement: Meitei, the predominant language of Manipur, had an ancient literary and cultural heritage with a written script known as Meitei Mayek. The movement for its recognition as an official language gained strength during the post-independence period, supported by both political leaders and cultural organisations in the north-eastern region. It was already the official language of the State of Manipur under the Manipur Official Language Act, 1979, and the demand for its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule was viewed as a matter of regional pride and national recognition.
3. Nepali Language Movement: Nepali, also known as Gorkha Bhasa, is spoken widely across Sikkim, Darjeeling (West Bengal), and several parts of the North East. The demand for its inclusion was closely linked to the identity of the Indian Gorkha community, who sought recognition of their linguistic and cultural distinctiveness within the Indian Union. The Nepali language boasts a rich literary tradition, with its script derived from Devanagari, and is one of the major languages of the Himalayas.

Proposal and Enactment

The Constitution (Seventy-first Amendment) Bill, 1992 (Bill No. 142 of 1992) was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 20 August 1992 by Shankarrao Bhavrao Chavan, then Minister of Home Affairs. Initially titled the Constitution (Seventy-eighth Amendment) Bill, it was later renumbered during its passage as the Seventy-first Amendment Bill.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons attached to the Bill noted:

“There have been demands for inclusion of certain languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. It is proposed to include Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. The Bill seeks to give effect to this decision.”

It also clarified the various nomenclatures under which the Nepali language was recognised in different regions, including “Gorkha Bhasa”, “Gorkhali”, “Khaskura”, and “Naipali”.
The Bill was debated and passed by both Houses of Parliament — Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha — on 20 August 1992. It received Presidential assent from Shankar Dayal Sharma on 31 August 1992 and was published in The Gazette of India on 1 September 1992, coming into force the same day.

Amendment to the Eighth Schedule

The amendment restructured the Eighth Schedule through the following modifications:

• Insertion of Konkani as Entry 7;
• Insertion of Manipuri (Meitei) as Entry 9;
• Insertion of Nepali as Entry 11.

Accordingly, the re-numbering of existing entries raised the total number of languages in the Eighth Schedule to eighteen.

Significance and Impact

The Seventy-first Amendment was a milestone in India’s linguistic evolution, reinforcing the principles of pluralism, cultural inclusion, and linguistic equality enshrined in the Constitution.
Its major implications were:

• Recognition of Linguistic Diversity: The amendment validated the cultural and literary contributions of the Konkani, Meitei, and Nepali-speaking communities within the broader framework of Indian identity.
• Promotion of Language Development: Inclusion in the Eighth Schedule obligated the Union Government to undertake measures for the development and promotion of these languages under Article 351, which pertains to directives for language promotion.
• National Integration: By recognising regional and minority languages, the amendment strengthened national unity while celebrating cultural distinctiveness.
• Educational and Administrative Reforms: It encouraged the use of these languages in educational curricula, state administration, and literary activities, especially in their respective regions.

Relation to Other Constitutional Amendments

The 21st Amendment (1967) had previously added Sindhi to the Eighth Schedule, marking the first such expansion. Later, the 92nd Amendment (2003) further broadened linguistic inclusion by adding Bodo, Dogri, Santhali, and Maithili, increasing the total to twenty-two recognised languages.
Thus, the Seventy-first Amendment formed an important link in the ongoing process of linguistic accommodation in India’s constitutional framework.

Contemporary Relevance

The inclusion of Konkani, Meitei, and Nepali in the Eighth Schedule continues to hold enduring importance. Each of these languages has since seen renewed cultural and literary growth:

• Konkani was declared one of the official languages of Goa and recognised in the Sahitya Akademi’s programmes.
• Meitei gained institutional support for the revival of Meitei Mayek script and its inclusion in educational systems in Manipur.
• Nepali attained prominence as an official language in Sikkim and West Bengal, and remains central to the cultural identity of Indian Gorkhas.

The Seventy-first Amendment, therefore, stands as a constitutional affirmation of India’s linguistic mosaic, ensuring that regional languages continue to flourish within the nation’s pluralistic democratic framework.