Current Affairs · · GS1 · Society

Karnataka Cabinet approves Tulu as an additional official language

Karnataka's Cabinet has approved Tulu as an additional official language for government work in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. The change still needs an amendment to the State's 1963 Official Language Act. Tulu also remains outside the Eighth Schedule, so its status under the Constitution does not change.

Event date:

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  1. Context1 / 5
    • Karnataka's Cabinet decided on 18 September 2026, at a meeting in Mangaluru, to give Tulu additional official language status.
    • It was the first special Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru, and Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced the decision.
    • He said the Cabinet agreed unanimously, after a long-standing demand from Tulu speakers, organisations and public representatives.
    • Kannada stays the State's official language. Tulu will be used alongside it, not in its place.
  2. Key highlights2 / 5

    Where it applies: Only in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The two district administrations will carry out the change.

    Legal step: Section 2 of the Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963 names Kannada as the official language. The State must amend this Act before Tulu's new status has legal force.

    Funding: The government will spend ₹82 lakh a year on translation, training and promoting Tulu in administration.

    Local bodies: The explainer suggests Tulu could be used in gram, taluk and zilla panchayat meetings and in municipal proceedings in these districts. [VERIFY: Confirm this list against the source article.]

    Across the border: Tulu is also spoken in parts of Kasaragod, which is in Kerala. A Karnataka decision cannot apply there.

    Census status: The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India recognises Tulu as an independent language. This is the Union office that runs the Census.

  3. Key concepts3 / 5
    1. Official language of a State — Article 345
    • Article 345 lets a State legislature adopt one or more languages used in the State, or Hindi, for official work.
    • The State must do this by law. A Cabinet decision alone is not enough, so Karnataka has to amend its 1963 Act.
    • Until a State passes such a law, English continues for the official purposes it served before the Constitution began.
    • A State can have more than one official language. For example, Telangana uses Urdu as a second official language.

    News connection: Karnataka is using its Article 345 power to add Tulu for two districts.

    1. Presidential recognition — Article 347
    • Article 347 gives a second route to recognition. It runs through the President, not the State legislature.
    • If a substantial part of a State's population wants a language recognised, the President may direct its official recognition.
    • That recognition can cover the whole State or only a part of it, for purposes the President specifies.
    • Distinction: Under Article 345, the State chooses by passing a law. Under Article 347, the President acts on a demand.

    News connection: Tulu's new status comes from the State route, not from a presidential direction.

    1. The Eighth Schedule
    • The Eighth Schedule is a list in the Constitution. It currently names 22 languages.
    • Adding a language needs a constitutional amendment. The last additions came through the 92nd Amendment in 2003: Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali.
    • Inclusion brings national-level benefits. For example, candidates can write the UPSC Mains in any Eighth Schedule language.
    • Languages outside this list are called non-scheduled languages in the Census. Tulu is one of them.
    • Distinction: A State making a language official does not place it in the Eighth Schedule. The two are separate processes.

    News connection: Tulu groups have long asked for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule. The State decision does not settle that demand.

  4. Way forward4 / 5

    Build capacity first: Train staff, prepare standard Tulu terms for office work and fund reliable translation.

    Settle the script: Decide which script official Tulu documents will use, and consult language experts before fixing it.

    Keep services open to all: Make sure residents who do not speak Tulu can still deal with offices in Kannada.

  5. Note5 / 5
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Sources

Syllabus

PaperSubjectSub-topic
GS1SocietySalient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
GS2PolityIndian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

Topics

Constitutional AmendmentMiscellaneous PolitySchedules

Related previous-year questions

Asked in earlier UPSC Prelims papers on this topic. Answer, then check.

  1. UPSC Prelims 2012 · Polity · Schedules

    Which of the following provisions of the Constitution of India have a bearing on Education? 1. Directive Principles of State Policy. 2. Rural and Urban Local Bodies. 3. Fifth Schedule. 4. Sixth Schedule. 5. Seventh Schedule. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 3, 4 and 5 only
    3. 1, 2 and 5 only
    4. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Correct Answer: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 The word “bearing” has a broad meaning here. It includes any constitutional provision that directly or indirectly affects education through rights, policy directions, administration or legislative powers. Statement-wise Explanation 1. Directive Principles of State Policy — Correct DPSPs have a clear bearing on education. Article 41 refers to education and public assistance, Article 45 deals with early childhood care and education, and Article 46 promotes the educational interests of weaker sections, especially SCs and STs. 2. Rural and Urban Local Bodies — Correct Panchayats and Municipalities also have a role in education. The 11th Schedule includes education, including primary and secondary schools, while the 12th Schedule includes promotion of educational and cultural aspects. 3. Fifth Schedule — Correct The Fifth Schedule deals with administration of Scheduled Areas. It gives special powers to the Governor, which may be used for the welfare and advancement of Scheduled Tribes, including education. 4. Sixth Schedule — Correct The Sixth Schedule applies to tribal areas in certain North-Eastern states. Autonomous District Councils can establish, construct or manage primary schools and promote education in their areas. 5. Seventh Schedule — Correct The Seventh Schedule has a direct bearing on education. Education is placed in the Concurrent List under Entry 25, allowing both Parliament and State Legislatures to make laws on it. Extra UPSC Info * Article 21A makes free and compulsory education a Fundamental Right for children aged 6 to 14 years. * Article 45 now deals with early childhood care and education for children below 6 years. * Article 46 promotes educational and economic interests of SCs, STs and other weaker sections. * Article 51A(k) makes it a Fundamental Duty of parents or guardians to provide education to children aged 6 to 14 years. * Article 350A provides for instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage for linguistic minorities. * Education was shifted from the State List to the Concurrent List by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976. Final Takeaway All five provisions have a direct or indirect bearing on education, so the correct answer is 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  2. UPSC Prelims 2024 · Polity · Schedules

    The Constitution (71st Amendment) Act, 1992 amends the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution to include which of the following languages? 1. Konkani 2. Manipuri 3. Nepali 4. Maithili Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    1. 1, 2 and 3
    2. 1, 2 and 4
    3. 1, 3 and 4
    4. 2, 3 and 4
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The 71st Amendment, enacted in 1992, included three more languages in the Eighth Schedule: Konkani, Meitei (Manipuri) and Nepali. The 92nd Amendment, enacted in 2003, added Bodo, Dogri, Santhali and Maithili, raising the total number of languages to 22. Therefore, the languages added by the 71st Amendment Act, 1992 are Konkani (1), Manipuri (2), and Nepali (3). Maithili (4) was added later by the 92nd Amendment Act, 2003 — not by the 71st Amendment. Hence option (a) 1, 2 and 3 is the correct answer.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

Practice questions

  1. With reference to the official language of a State under the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. The Legislature of a State may, by law, adopt one or more languages in use in the State for its official purposes. 2. A language must be included in the Eighth Schedule before a State can adopt it as an official language. 3. Until the State Legislature provides otherwise, English continues for official purposes for which it was used before the commencement of the Constitution. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 1 and 3 only
    3. 2 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Statement 1 restates Article 345. Statement 3 restates its proviso. Statement 2 is wrong: Article 345 covers any language in use in the State, scheduled or not. So options (a), (c) and (d) fail.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  2. With reference to Article 347 of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. The President may direct official recognition of a language if satisfied that a substantial proportion of a State's population desires it. 2. Recognition under this Article must extend to the whole State and cannot be limited to a part of it. 3. A resolution of the State Legislative Assembly is a precondition for action under this Article. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 1 and 2 only
    3. 2 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: recognition may cover the whole State or any part of it. Statement 3 is wrong: the Article requires a demand and the President's satisfaction, not an Assembly resolution. Every option other than (a) includes a wrong statement.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  3. With reference to the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. It currently lists 22 languages. 2. A language can be added to it by an executive order of the Union Government. 3. Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were added by the Constitution (Seventy-first Amendment) Act, 1992. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is wrong: changing the Eighth Schedule needs a constitutional amendment. Options (a), (b) and (d) all include Statement 2.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

Mains practice

Answer-writing practice on this article. Attempt it first, then open the hints.

  1. GS2 · 150 words

    Examine the constitutional framework for the official languages of States. How is State-level official status different from inclusion in the Eighth Schedule? (150 words)

    Show hints
    1. Article 345: the State adopts a language by law; the proviso keeps English in place until then.
    2. Article 347: presidential recognition on demand from a substantial part of the population.
    3. Article 346: language for communication between States, and between a State and the Union.
    4. Eighth Schedule: 22 languages, added only by constitutional amendment, with national-level benefits.
    5. Example: Tulu gains State status for two districts but stays non-scheduled.
  2. 250 words

    "A language is not only a means of communication; it carries a community's memory."

    Show hints
    1. Language as identity, oral tradition and local knowledge.
    2. India's diversity: many languages exist outside the Eighth Schedule.
    3. Official use in administration helps a language survive in daily life.
    4. Tension between regional recognition and a shared working language.
    5. Examples: State official language laws, mother-tongue instruction under Article 350A.