Difficult to fix any criteria for language inclusion in Eighth Schedule to the Constitution:MoS Home

New Delhi [India], July 27 : Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Tuesday, in a written reply to Lok Sabha over the inclusion of Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, said that it is difficult to fix any criteria for languages, whether to distinguish them from dialects, or for their inclusion in the Constitution.
Replying to the questions raised by Congress MP Vincent H Pala, Rai said "There have been demands from time to time for inclusion of Khasi in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. Central Government had received a proposal in this regard. As the evolution of dialects and languages is a dynamic process, influenced by socio-cultural, economic and political developments, it is difficult to fix any criteria for languages, whether to distinguish them from dialects, or for their inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution."
The minister further said that such requests have to be considered keeping in mind these sentiments, and also other relevant considerations.
Nityanand Rai said, "The earlier attempts, through the Pahwa (1996) and Sitakant Mohapatra (2003) Committees, to evolve such fixed criteria have been inconclusive. The government of India is conscious of the sentiments and requirements for the inclusion of other languages in the Eighth Schedule. Such requests have to be considered keeping in mind these sentiments, and the other relevant considerations.