Centres of Excellence approved for five newer classical languages
UPSC has already asked about this. Read the story with these questions in mind.
On 3 October 2026 the Ministry of Education approved five Centres of Excellence for Classical Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali and Prakrit, hosted by Tezpur University, Visva-Bharati, Deccan College Pune, Central University of Odisha and Central University of Gujarat. These five got classical status in October 2024, taking India’s total to 11 classical languages.
- Approved by
- Dept of Higher Education, Ministry of Education
- Date
- 3 Oct 2026
- Languages
- Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit
- Status granted
- Union Cabinet, 3 Oct 2024
- Total classical languages
- 11
- First
- Tamil, 12 Oct 2004
Classical Language Centres of Excellence: what happened?
Two years after five languages were declared classical, the government has given them a home for research. Each Centre will work on research, preservation, digitisation and wider reach of the language’s texts.
- The Ministry of Education approved Centres of Excellence for Classical Assamese (Tezpur University), Bengali (Visva-Bharati), Marathi (Deccan College, Pune), Pali (Central University of Odisha) and Prakrit (Central University of Gujarat) [PIB].
Where will the five Centres be?
| Language | Host institution | State |
|---|---|---|
| Assamese | Tezpur University | Assam |
| Bengali | Visva-Bharati University | West Bengal |
| Marathi | Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute (Deemed University), Pune | Maharashtra |
| Pali | Central University of Odisha | Odisha |
| Prakrit | Central University of Gujarat | Gujarat |
How did the classical language category begin?
- The Government created the category on 12 October 2004 and declared Tamil the first classical language.
- A Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC) under the Sahitya Akademi was set up by the Ministry of Culture in November 2004.
- Criteria were revised in November 2005, when Sanskrit was declared classical.
- Maharashtra asked for Marathi in 2013; in 2017 MHA advised stricter criteria, and proposals for Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali came from Bihar, Assam and West Bengal.
- The LEC revised the criteria on 25 July 2024; the Cabinet approved the five languages on 3 October 2024.
Which are the 11 classical languages of India?
| Language | Recognised |
|---|---|
| Tamil | 2004 |
| Sanskrit | 2005 |
| Telugu | 2008 |
| Kannada | 2008 |
| Malayalam | 2013 |
| Odia | 2014 |
| Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, Bengali | 2024 |
What are the current criteria for classical status?
Criteria revised by the LEC on 25 July 2024
- High antiquity of early texts or recorded history over 1500-2000 years
- A body of ancient literature that generations of speakers treat as heritage
- Knowledge texts, especially prose, besides poetry, epigraphic and inscriptional evidence
- The classical form may differ from, or be cut off from, its later forms
Why does Classical Language Centres of Excellence matter?
| Angle | What to note |
|---|---|
| Culture | Pali and Prakrit carry Buddhist and Jain textual traditions; their study needs institutions, not just a label. |
| Education | Centres spread across five States build regional research capacity. |
| Federal | Recognition followed proposals from State Governments. |
| Digital | Digitisation preserves manuscripts and inscriptions for wider access. |
What are the challenges in Classical Language Centres of Excellence?
- Status alone does not create scholars; trained faculty in Pali and Prakrit are few.
- The 2024 criteria dropped the “original, not borrowed” test, which may bring more claims.
- Work on old texts needs long-term funding beyond a launch phase.
What should be done next on Classical Language Centres of Excellence?
- Link the Centres with manuscript and epigraphy archives.
- Run fellowships and translation projects so texts reach students.
- Publish regular outputs so progress can be measured.
What can Prelims ask on Classical Language Centres of Excellence?
- First classical language: Tamil (2004); second: Sanskrit (2005).
- Odia: 2014, the sixth.
- Nodal agency for the LEC: Sahitya Akademi.
- CoE for Prakrit: Central University of Gujarat; for Pali: Central University of Odisha.
- Total now: 11.
How to write about Classical Language Centres of Excellence in Mains
Practice question (10 marks, 150 words): What is the significance of conferring classical status on Indian languages? Is recognition enough to protect them?
- Intro: 11 languages, new CoEs (Oct 2026).
- Significance: heritage, research, identity, federal voice.
- Limits: scholars, funding, criteria debate.
- Way forward: archives, fellowships, translation.
What should UPPCS aspirants note?
- Pali and Prakrit have deep roots in UP’s Buddhist and Jain sites (Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti), useful for GS-V culture answers.
How to use this in Mains
- As per PIB, Ministry of Education (2026-10-03): the Ministry of Education approved Centres of Excellence for Classical Assamese (Tezpur University), Bengali (Visva-Bharati), Marathi (Deccan College, Pune), Pali (Central University of Odisha) and Prakrit (Central University of Gujarat).
- Classical language status has been asked twice in Prelims (2014, 2015); institution–language matching is likely.
Quotable data pointThe Ministry of Education approved Centres of Excellence for Classical Assamese (Tezpur University), Bengali (Visva-Bharati), Marathi (Deccan College, Pune), Pali (Central University of Odisha) and Prakrit (Central University of Gujarat).
PIB, Ministry of Education: Five Centres of Excellence for Classical Languages, 3 Oct 2026
Exam angle
Prelims: match language with CoE institution; list of classical languages.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
Consider the pairs: 1. Classical Pali - Central University of Odisha 2. Classical Prakrit - Central University of Gujarat 3. Classical Assamese - Gauhati University. Which are correctly matched?
Answer (b) & explanation
Assamese CoE is at Tezpur University (PIB, 3 Oct 2026).
Which was the second language to be declared a classical language in India?
Answer (b) & explanation
Sanskrit was notified on 25/11/2005 after Tamil (PIB, 3 Oct 2024).
The nodal agency for the Linguistic Experts Committee on classical languages is
Answer (b) & explanation
PIB, 3 Oct 2024.
Questions students ask about this
How many classical languages does India have?
Eleven: Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali.
Where is the Centre of Excellence for Classical Marathi?
At Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune.
Which body examines claims for classical status?
The Linguistic Experts Committee under the Sahitya Akademi.
When was Tamil declared classical?
On 12 October 2004, the first language to get the status.
Keep studying
Official source: PIB, Ministry of Education: Five Centres of Excellence for Classical Languages, 3 Oct 2026
facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending