The Constitution of India
Article 345
Official language or languages of a State
Subject to the provisions of articles 346 and 347, the Legislature of a State may by law adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi as the language or languages to be used for all or any of the official purposes of that State:
Provided that, until the Legislature of the State otherwise provides by law, the English language shall continue to be used for those official purposes within the State for which it was being used immediately before the commencement of this Constitution.
Why this exists
India has enormous linguistic diversity, and the Constitution-makers wanted States to have freedom to conduct their own official business in a language their people understood, rather than forcing one language nationwide. At the same time, since administrative machinery in 1950 ran largely in English, the Article ensured continuity so governance would not be disrupted while States gradually transitioned to their chosen languages.
Common misconceptions
- Myth: Article 345 makes Hindi the official language of every Indian state.
Fact: It actually lets each state choose its own official language(s) — Hindi is just one option among many, not a requirement. - Myth: English officially stopped being used in Indian states after the Constitution came into force.
Fact: English legally continues for official purposes in a state until that state's legislature passes a law changing it.