In a significant step towards promoting linguistic inclusivity, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced that translation services in the House will be extended to six more languages—Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Manipuri, Sanskrit, and Urdu. This initiative aims to enhance accessibility for Members of Parliament and strengthen democratic engagement. It is part of a broader plan to eventually offer translation services for all 22 languages recognized under Schedule 8 of the Indian Constitution. However, the decision to include Sanskrit has ignited debate, with some expressing concerns about its communicability and official status in various states.
Important Points:
Extension of Translation Services
- Lok Sabha has added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Manipuri, Sanskrit, and Urdu to its translation services.
Existing Languages
- Until now, translation was available in 10 languages—Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and English.
Future Plans
- Speaker Om Birla stated that efforts are ongoing to gradually extend the service to all 22 languages listed in Schedule 8, subject to resource availability.
Global Recognition
- India’s legislature is the only democratic institution worldwide offering simultaneous translation in multiple languages, a move that has been widely appreciated by global forums.
