Classical Languages Of India

* The Government of India has awarded the distinction of classical language to Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Telugu. Classical language status is given to languages that have a rich heritage and an independent nature. Hence, Gujarati is not a classical language. * "In addition to these classical languages, Pali, Persian, and Prakrit, and their works of literature too must be preserved for their richness and for the pleasure and enrichment of posterity," according to India's National Education Policy, 2020.

Historical Context (2015): At the time this question was originally asked, Odia was the latest language to be granted Classical status (notified in February 2014). It was the 6th language to receive this honor. Criteria: To be eligible, a language must have a recorded history of 1500–2000 years, a body of ancient literature, and an original literary tradition not borrowed from another speech community. Timeline of Classical Languages: 2004: Tamil 2005: Sanskrit 2008: Telugu & Kannada 2013: Malayalam 2014: Odia **Note for the Current Exam Cycle (2025-26):** While Odia was the correct answer for the 2015 paper, the list was significantly expanded in October 2024. If this question were asked today, Assamese (along with Marathi, Bengali, Pali, and Prakrit) would be the correct answer as the most recent additions to the list.