The Constitution of India
Article 346
Official language for communication between one State and another or between a State and the Union
The language for the time being authorised for use in the Union for official purposes shall be the official language for communication between one State and another State and between a State and the Union:
Provided that if two or more States agree that the Hindi language should be the official language for communication between such States, that language may be used for such communication.
Why this exists
This Article was part of the Constitution's careful compromise on language policy. While Article 343 made Hindi the official language of the Union (with English continuing alongside it, at first for 15 years and then indefinitely by law), the framers needed a clear rule for how states and the Union would talk to each other on paper. To avoid confusion or unfair advantage to any single regional language, they tied inter-state and state-Union communication to whatever language was officially authorised for Union purposes at the time — which in practice has meant English continuing alongside Hindi. The proviso gave Hindi-speaking states the flexibility to correspond in Hindi with each other if they chose, respecting regional preference without forcing it on others.
Common misconceptions
- Myth: Article 346 makes Hindi compulsory for all communication between states.
Fact: Hindi is only used between states if those states specifically agree to it; otherwise, the default is whatever language is currently authorised for the Union's official purposes, which has included English. - Myth: This Article decides India's national language.
Fact: The official language of the Union is fixed by Article 343, not this Article. Article 346 only deals with the language used for official communication between states and between a state and the Union.