Pratidin
Society, justice and ethics21 September 2026The Hindu, Page 8

What does Tulu's new official language status mean?

A language spoken by lakhs, missing from the Eighth Schedule.

Published 21 September 2026. Written by Pratidin from the reports linked at the end; every fact checked by a separate review before publishing. How we work

At a special Cabinet meeting in Mangaluru on 18 September, the Karnataka government decided to make Tulu the State's 'second additional administrative language' in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, meeting a long-standing demand of the coastal region. It will allocate ₹82 lakh a year for translation, training and promoting the use of Tulu.

The status applies to administration in the two districts. Elected representatives will be able to speak in Tulu at gram sabhas, taluk and zilla panchayats and urban local body meetings, citizens can submit applications to government departments in Tulu, and circulars can be issued in it. Legal experts say implementing the decision will need an amendment to the Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963. The process began in January 2023, when the previous BJP government set up a committee headed by educationist Mohan Alva; the present government also studied how Andhra Pradesh gave Urdu additional official language status.

Tulu is a Dravidian language with a history of over 2,000 years, spoken mainly in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi and in parts of Kasaragod in Kerala; about 18.5 lakh people reported it as their mother tongue in the 2011 Census. It is recognised as an independent language by the Registrar General but is not among the 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule, and leaders across parties are now pressing for its inclusion. It is already taught as an optional third language from Class 6 to 10 in the two districts. Days later, the SDPI demanded similar status for Urdu.

Practise this in the app: flashcards, quiz and a timed answer
Prelims

Prelims facts

  • Karnataka made Tulu a 'second additional administrative language' for Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts on 18 September 2026.
  • Article 345 lets a State legislature adopt one or more languages for the State's official purposes; Karnataka's law is the Official Language Act, 1963.
  • The Eighth Schedule lists 22 languages; the 92nd Amendment (2003) added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santali. Tulu is not included.

Quick recall

When did Karnataka decide to give Tulu additional official status?
At a Cabinet meeting in Mangaluru on 18 September 2026.
Where does Tulu's new status apply?
In Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, as a 'second additional administrative language'.
How much will Karnataka allocate each year for Tulu?
₹82 lakh for translation, training and promotion.
Which Article lets a State adopt languages for official use?
Article 345.
Which State law may need amendment to implement the decision?
The Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963.
Is Tulu in the Eighth Schedule?
No; the Eighth Schedule has 22 languages, and Tulu is not among them.
How many people reported Tulu as their mother tongue in the 2011 Census?
About 18.5 lakh.
Which language family does Tulu belong to?
Dravidian.

Prelims practice question

Which of the following languages was NOT added to the Eighth Schedule by the 92nd Amendment, 2003?

  1. Bodo
  2. Dogri
  3. Konkani
  4. Santali
Show answer

Answer: (c) Konkani. The 92nd Amendment added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santali. Konkani was added earlier, in 1992.

Use this in UPSC Mains: previous-year questions

Recurring theme: Language, linguistic identity and national unity

  1. 2026 · GS1 · 15 marksCovers one partUse it in the example

    Linguistic reorganization of Indian States was driven by popular pressure from below. Comment.

    How to use this

    Offers a present-day case of language recognition won through sustained regional demand, useful as a contemporary parallel; it says nothing on State reorganisation itself.

    • On 18 September 2026 Karnataka made Tulu a 'second additional administrative language' in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, meeting a long-standing demand of the coastal region.
    • The process began in January 2023 with a committee headed by educationist Mohan Alva, and leaders across parties now press for Tulu's inclusion in the Eighth Schedule.
    • Days after the decision, the SDPI demanded similar status for Urdu.
  2. 2026 · GS2 · 15 marksCovers one partUse it in the example

    How far has the Indian federal framework been successful in accommodating regional and cultural diversities? Highlight the role of asymmetric federalism and suggest measures to make dispute resolution mechanisms more effective.

    How to use this

    Gives a small but concrete example of a State using its constitutional powers to accommodate a regional language.

    • Article 345 lets a State legislature adopt languages for official purposes; legal experts say implementing Tulu's status will need an amendment to the Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963.
    • Elected representatives can speak Tulu in gram sabhas and local bodies, citizens can apply in Tulu, and Karnataka will spend ₹82 lakh a year on translation and training.
    • The Eighth Schedule lists 22 languages (the 92nd Amendment, 2003, added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santali); point out that the Centre has set no objective inclusion criteria.
  3. 2016 · GS1 · 12.5 marksCovers one partUse it in the conclusion

    Has the formation of linguistic states strengthened the cause of Indian unity?

    How to use this

    Lets you argue that accommodating sub-regional languages within a linguistic State can deepen belonging, while noting it can spur competing demands.

    • Tulu, a Dravidian language with a history of over 2,000 years, was reported as mother tongue by about 18.5 lakh people in the 2011 Census.
    • Karnataka has made Tulu an additional administrative language in two districts, and it is already taught as an optional third language from Class 6 to 10 there.
    • Days later the SDPI demanded similar status for Urdu, and leaders across parties are pressing for Tulu's Eighth Schedule inclusion.
Prelims
  1. 2014 · Prelims

    Consider the following languages: 1. Gujarati 2. Kannada 3. Telugu Which of the above has/have been declared as 'Classical Language / Languages' by the Government? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

    UPSC tests the formal categories of language recognition, such as classical status and the Eighth Schedule, that the Tulu story turns on.

Mains practice question

What is the significance of official recognition for minority and regional languages? Discuss with reference to Tulu. (150 words)

Model answer

Tulu, a Dravidian language with a rich oral and literary tradition, has long sought recognition. Karnataka has now made it an additional administrative language in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, drawing on the State's power under Article 345.

Significance

  • Identity: affirms the cultural identity of Tulu speakers.
  • Governance: allows use in administration and public communication in the region.
  • Education: supports teaching in Tulu, in line with Article 350A and NEP 2020's emphasis on the mother tongue.
  • Preservation: helps languages at risk of decline.

Limits

  • State status does not bring Eighth Schedule benefits such as representation in the Official Language Commission or use in central exams.
  • Script and standardisation issues.

Eighth Schedule demand

Inclusion needs a constitutional amendment; the Centre has not set objective criteria, and many languages are waiting.

Recognition is a first step; sustained use in schools, media and administration keeps a language alive.

The basics

Why this matters

India has hundreds of mother tongues but only 22 in the Eighth Schedule. Karnataka's decision to make Tulu an additional administrative language in two coastal districts shows how States can recognise languages on their own, and why speakers still seek national recognition.

₹82 lakh
Annual allocation for using Tulu in administration
For translation, training and promotion in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.

What the decision does

In Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, citizens can apply to government offices in Tulu, representatives can speak it in local bodies, and circulars can be issued in it.

Tulu's new status
  1. 1WhereDakshina Kannada and Udupi only
  2. 2CitizensCan apply in Tulu
  3. 3Local bodiesTulu allowed in meetings
  4. 4LawOfficial Language Act, 1963 may need amendment

State status versus the Eighth Schedule

A State can adopt languages under Article 345. The Eighth Schedule is a national list with its own benefits.

Two kinds of recognition
State official language
  • Decided by the State
  • Used in State administration
  • Tulu now in two districts
vs
Eighth Schedule
  • Needs a constitutional amendment
  • 22 languages listed
  • Tulu not included

How we got here

The demand is old; the decision is new.

Tulu's recognition
  1. 1956States reorganised on linguistic lines
  2. 1963Karnataka Official Language Act
  3. Jan 2023Mohan Alva committee set up
  4. 18 Sep 2026Cabinet approves Tulu status
  5. Sep 2026SDPI seeks similar status for Urdu

What comes next

Tulu speakers now press for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule. Other forms of recognition include Classical language status, and the history of Linguistic reorganisation of States shows how central language is to Indian politics.

You now know

  • Tulu became a second additional administrative language in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi on 18 September 2026.
  • Article 345 lets a State adopt languages for official use.
  • The Eighth Schedule lists 22 languages; Tulu is not among them.
  • About 18.5 lakh people reported Tulu as their mother tongue in 2011.

Go deeper

In one line: Karnataka has made Tulu an additional administrative language in its two coastal districts, a step short of the Eighth Schedule recognition its speakers want.

Why it matters for UPSC

GS1 (languages and culture) and GS2 (constitutional provisions on language). Official language questions often test Articles 343 to 351 and the Eighth Schedule.

The core idea

A State can choose languages for its own official use under Article 345. Karnataka has used this to let people in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi deal with the government in Tulu, speak it in local councils and receive circulars in it. That is different from the Eighth Schedule, a national list that affects things like representation in the Official Language Commission. Tulu speakers see State recognition as a stepping stone; other groups, such as Urdu speakers, have quickly sought the same.

Numbers and dates to remember

  • 18 September 2026: Cabinet decision.
  • ₹82 lakh a year for implementation.
  • 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule.
  • About 18.5 lakh Tulu speakers (2011 Census).

Where to go next

In one line: State recognition gives Tulu practical use in government, while Eighth Schedule inclusion would bring national standing.

Why the Eighth Schedule matters

Languages in it are represented in the Official Language Commission and considered for examinations and development schemes. Dozens of languages seek inclusion, but there are no fixed criteria, which makes additions political.

Implementation challenges

Translation capacity, training staff and creating standard terms for administration. Tulu has an old script, Tigalari, but is now mostly written in Kannada script.

Ripple effects

Recognising one language invites demands from others, as the Urdu demand shows. Karnataka must balance Kannada's primacy with regional languages.

Links

Article 345 governs State languages; the Eighth Schedule is the national list; Classical language status recognises antiquity; the Linguistic reorganisation of States shaped today's map.

Where to go next

Eighth Schedule

India's list of recognised languages

In one line: The Eighth Schedule lists 22 languages recognised by the Constitution.

How it grew

It began with 14 languages; Sindhi was added in 1967, Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali in 1992, and Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santali in 2003.

Significance

Linked to Articles 344 and 351 on the development of Hindi and the Official Language Commission.

Pending demands

Many languages, including Tulu, Bhojpuri and Rajasthani, seek inclusion.

Where to go next

Article 345

How States choose official languages

In one line: Article 345 lets a State legislature adopt one or more languages in use in the State, or Hindi, for official purposes.

Default

Until a State decides, English continues for official purposes.

Related Articles

Article 347 lets the President recognise a language spoken by a substantial part of a State's population on demand.

Use

States such as Karnataka use State laws to define official languages.

Where to go next

Classical language status

A different kind of recognition

In one line: Classical language status is a Central government recognition for languages with ancient, independent literary traditions.

Languages

Tamil (2004), Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, and in 2024 Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali, making 11.

Benefits

Awards, research centres and funding for study of the language.

Difference

It recognises antiquity, not official use.

Where to go next

Linguistic reorganisation of States

Language and India's map

In one line: India reorganised many State boundaries on linguistic lines in the 1950s.

Key events

Andhra State was formed in 1953 after Potti Sriramulu's fast; the States Reorganisation Commission (Fazl Ali) led to the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.

Later changes

Bombay was split into Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1960.

Legacy

It strengthened regional identity and remains a reference point for language demands.

Where to go next

Take the 21 September 2026 quiz: 30 Prelims-style questions with answers

Syllabus

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