The Constitution of India
Article 343
Official language of the Union
(1) The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script.
The form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the Union shall be the international form of Indian numerals.
(2) Notwithstanding anything in clause (1), for a period of fifteen years from the commencement of this Constitution, the English language shall continue to be used for all the official purposes of the Union for which it was being used immediately before such commencement:
Provided that the President may, during the said period, by order authorise the use of the Hindi language in addition to the English language and of the Devanagari form of numerals in addition to the international form of Indian numerals for any of the official purposes of the Union.
(3) Notwithstanding anything in this article, Parliament may by law provide for the use, after the said period of fifteen years, of —
(a) the English language, or
(b) the Devanagari form of numerals,
for such purposes as may be specified in the law.
Why this exists
During the freedom struggle and the Constituent Assembly debates, language was an emotional and divisive issue, since India has many major languages. The framers compromised: Hindi was named the official language for the Union to promote national unity, but English was retained temporarily for practical continuity in administration, given that most government business was already conducted in English. The 15-year window was meant to allow a gradual, planned shift to Hindi, while clause (3) gave Parliament flexibility to extend English's use if needed—which is exactly what happened.
How courts read it
Article 343 has largely been shaped by political and legislative developments rather than landmark Supreme Court rulings. When the 15-year transition period approached its end in 1965, strong opposition arose in non-Hindi-speaking states, especially Tamil Nadu, fearing Hindi imposition. This led Parliament to use its power under clause (3) to pass the Official Languages Act, 1963 (amended in 1967), ensuring English would continue indefinitely alongside Hindi for Union purposes. Courts have generally deferred to this legislative and policy framework rather than reinterpreting the Article itself.
Common misconceptions
- Myth: Article 343 makes Hindi the 'national language' of India.
Fact: It only makes Hindi the official language of the Union government for administrative purposes; India has no constitutionally declared 'national language'. - Myth: English's official use was supposed to end permanently in 1965.
Fact: Clause (3) allowed Parliament to extend English's use by law beyond 1965, which it did through the Official Languages Act, so English remains in official use indefinitely. - Myth: This Article forces states to use Hindi.
Fact: Article 343 governs the Union government's official language; language use within states is separately addressed under Article 345, which lets state legislatures choose their own official languages.