Practice paper — Constitution Part XVII — Official Language
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1.According to Article 343(1), what is declared the official language of the Union?
- (A) Hindi in Devanagari script
- (B) English
- (C) Urdu
- (D) Hindi in Roman script
2.Article 343(1) specifies the form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the Union as:
- (A) Devanagari form of numerals
- (B) International form of Indian numerals
- (C) Arabic numerals
- (D) Roman numerals
3.Under Article 343(2), for the fifteen years from the commencement of the Constitution English shall:
- (A) cease to be used for all official purposes immediately
- (B) be used only if Parliament passes a special resolution
- (C) continue to be used for all official purposes for which it was being used immediately before such commencement
- (D) be limited to judicial proceedings only
4.During the fifteen-year period, who may, by order, authorise the use of Hindi (in addition to English) and the Devanagari form of numerals (in addition to the international form)?
- (A) Parliament
- (B) Prime Minister
- (C) Supreme Court
- (D) President
5.Article 343(3) provides that after the said fifteen-year period Parliament may by law provide for the use, after the said period, of which of the following?
- (A) Only the English language for all official purposes
- (B) Only the Devanagari form of numerals for all official purposes
- (C) Either the English language or the Devanagari form of numerals for such purposes as may be specified in the law
- (D) Neither unless the President makes an order
6.When is the Commission under Article 344 first to be constituted according to the Constitution of India?
- (A) Immediately from commencement and every ten years thereafter
- (B) At the President's discretion at five-year intervals
- (C) At the expiration of five years from the commencement of the Constitution and thereafter at the expiration of ten years from such commencement
- (D) Every five years
7.How many members of the Committee referred to in Article 344 are to be members of the House of the People?
- (A) Twenty
- (B) Ten
- (C) Thirty
- (D) Fifteen
8.Who appoints the members of the Commission representing the different languages specified in the Eighth Schedule under Article 344(1)?
- (A) Prime Minister
- (B) President
- (C) Parliament
- (D) State Governments
9.Is the President bound to implement the Committee's report under Article 344(6)?
- (A) Yes — the President must implement the Committee's recommendations in full
- (B) Only if both Houses of Parliament approve the report
- (C) Only with the consent of the States concerned
- (D) No — the President may, after consideration of the report, issue directions in accordance with the whole or any part of that report
10.Does the requirement in Article 344(3) to have "due regard to the ... just claims and the interests of persons belonging to the non-Hindi speaking areas" apply to the Committee examining the Commission's recommendations?
- (A) Yes — clause (3) requires both Commission and Committee to have due regard to non-Hindi speaking areas
- (B) No — clause (3) expressly applies when the Commission makes recommendations under clause (2)
- (C) Yes — because the Committee examines recommendations and must follow the same considerations
- (D) No — clause (3) applies only to the President when issuing directions
11.Can a State under Article 345 adopt more than one language for its official purposes?
- (A) No — it can adopt only a single language
- (B) Yes — it may adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi
- (C) No — it may adopt only Hindi
- (D) Yes — but only if Parliament first approves
12.Until the State Legislature enacts a law under Article 345, what is the position of the English language for official purposes within the State?
- (A) English cannot be used for any official purposes
- (B) English must be used exclusively for all official purposes
- (C) English shall continue to be used for those official purposes for which it was being used immediately before the commencement of the Constitution
- (D) English may be used only if the Hindi language has not been adopted
13.Does Article 345 permit a State to adopt Hindi as an official language even if Hindi is not currently in use in that State?
- (A) No — only languages already in use in the State may be adopted
- (B) Yes — the State may adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi
- (C) Yes — but only with the permission of the President
- (D) No — Hindi can be adopted only by a central law
14.Is the State Legislature's power to adopt official languages under Article 345 absolute and unconditional?
- (A) Yes — the State Legislature has absolute power to choose any language
- (B) No — the power is subject to the provisions of Articles 346 and 347
- (C) Yes — except that English cannot be chosen
- (D) No — the power is exercisable only with prior approval of Parliament
15.Under Article 346, which language serves as the official language for communication between one State and another and between a State and the Union?
- (A) The language for the time being authorised for use in the Union for official purposes
- (B) The official language of the State initiating the communication
- (C) Any language mutually agreed upon by the States
- (D) English only
16.According to Article 346, the source of the official language for communication between States and between a State and the Union is:
- (A) A language authorised by each State independently
- (B) The language for the time being authorised for use in the Union for official purposes
- (C) A language approved by the President for each communication
- (D) The language specified in the State's constitution
17.If the Union authorises a particular language for official purposes, does Article 346 make that language the official language for communication between two States?
- (A) Yes — the Union-authorised language is made the official language for State-to-State communication
- (B) No — each State may independently choose a different language for inter-State communication
- (C) Only if both State legislatures pass resolutions adopting it
- (D) Only after Parliament enacts a separate law to that effect
18.Can two or more States, by mutual agreement, use Hindi as the official language for communication between themselves under Article 346?
- (A) No — States cannot choose a different language by agreement
- (B) Yes — but only with prior approval of the Union government
- (C) Yes — two or more States may agree that the Hindi language should be the official language for communication between such States
- (D) Yes — but only if Parliament passes a law endorsing their agreement
19.If two or more States agree to use Hindi for communication between themselves, does Article 346 permit use of Hindi for communication between a State and the Union as well?
- (A) Yes — the States' agreement extends to State‑Union communications
- (B) No — the proviso permits Hindi only for communication between such States
- (C) Yes — but only if the Union separately authorises Hindi as its official language
- (D) No — unless Parliament enacts a law to that effect
20.Which authority does Article 347 empower to direct official recognition of a language spoken by a section of a State's population?
- (A) The President
- (B) The Parliament
- (C) The Governor of the State
- (D) The State Legislature
21.If the President issues a direction under Article 347, to what geographical extent can the language be officially recognised?
- (A) Only throughout the entire State without distinguishing parts
- (B) Only in the national territory where the language is predominant
- (C) Either throughout that State or in any part thereof as specified
- (D) Only in the capital district of the State
22.Can the President, under Article 347, limit the recognition of a language to specific functions or purposes?
- (A) No, recognition must be for all official purposes uniformly
- (B) Yes, the President may specify the purpose(s) for which recognition is given
- (C) Only if the State Legislature approves the specified purposes
- (D) Only if the language is already in the Eighth Schedule
23.May the President act under Article 347 on his own motion to recognise a language without a prior demand being made?
- (A) Yes, the President may act suo motu at any time
- (B) No, the power is exercisable only "on a demand being made in that behalf"
- (C) Yes, but only after consulting the Chief Justice of India
- (D) No, recognition can only be initiated by the State Governor
24.Until Parliament by law otherwise provides, which language shall be used in all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every High Court?
- (A) English
- (B) Hindi
- (C) Any language authorised by the Governor
- (D) Either English or Hindi as chosen by the Court
25.Which of the following is specifically listed in Article 348(1)(b) as an authoritative text required to be in the English language?
- (A) Judgments of High Courts
- (B) Minutes of local bodies
- (C) All Bills to be introduced or amendments thereto in either House of Parliament or State Legislature
- (D) Administrative circulars issued by Ministries
26.If the Governor of a State, with the previous consent of the President, authorises the use of Hindi in the High Court having its principal seat in that State, which statement is correct under Article 348(2)?
- (A) Such authorisation requires no consent of the President.
- (B) The authorisation permits Hindi in proceedings of that High Court but does not apply to any judgment, decree or order passed by that High Court.
- (C) The authorisation allows judgments, decrees and orders of the High Court to be delivered in Hindi.
- (D) The authorisation automatically applies to all High Courts in the country.
27.Under Article 348(3), when a State Legislature prescribes a language other than English for Bills, Acts or Ordinances, when will an English translation be deemed the authoritative text under this Article?
- (A) When a translation in English is published under the authority of the Governor of the State in the Official Gazette of that State.
- (B) When the Legislature itself passes a resolution adopting the English translation.
- (C) When the Chief Minister certifies the English translation.
- (D) When the President grants assent to the English translation.
28.Which of the following best describes the overall effect of the opening words of Article 348 ('Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this Part, until Parliament by law otherwise provides')?
- (A) Article 348 permanently fixes English as the only language for all courts and legislative texts with no possibility of change.
- (B) Article 348 makes English optional and leaves the choice entirely to State Governments.
- (C) Article 348 prevents Parliament from ever changing the language provisions for courts and authoritative texts.
- (D) Article 348's requirements apply for the time being but Parliament may, by law, provide otherwise in future.
29.What is the subject matter of Article 349 of the Constitution of India (as given)?
- (A) Special procedure for enactment of certain laws relating to language
- (B) Procedure for appointment of judges
- (C) Procedure for proclamation of emergency
- (D) Procedure for amendment of fundamental rights
30.For how long from the commencement of the Constitution does the special procedure under Article 349 apply?
- (A) Ten years
- (B) Fifteen years
- (C) Twenty years
- (D) Indefinitely
31.Before the President gives his sanction to the introduction of such a Bill or the moving of such an amendment, what must he take into consideration according to Article 349?
- (A) Only the recommendations of the Commission constituted under Article 344(1)
- (B) Only the report of the Committee constituted under Article 344(4)
- (C) Either the Commission's recommendations or the Committee's report
- (D) Both the Commission's recommendations under Article 344(1) and the report of the Committee under Article 344(4)
32.Does Article 349's requirement of 'previous sanction of the President' apply to moving amendments as well as to introduction of Bills concerning the language matters in Article 348(1) during the fifteen-year period?
- (A) Yes — it applies to both introduction of Bills and moving of amendments
- (B) No — it applies only to the introduction of Bills
- (C) No — it applies only to moving amendments
- (D) No — it applies only after a special presidential proclamation
33.Under Article 350 of the Constitution, who is entitled to submit a representation for redress of grievance?
- (A) Every person
- (B) Only citizens of India
- (C) Only residents of the State
- (D) Only those who know an official language
34.To which recipients does Article 350 permit submitting a representation for redress of grievances?
- (A) Only courts of law
- (B) Any officer or authority of the Union or a State
- (C) Only officers of the Union
- (D) Only local municipal bodies
35.If a person submits a grievance to an authority of a State, in which language(s) does Article 350 permit the representation to be made?
- (A) Any language used anywhere in India
- (B) Only the official language of the Union
- (C) Any of the languages used in the State
- (D) Only English or Hindi
36.A person addresses a Union government officer in a language that is used only in one State but not listed among languages used in the Union. Under Article 350, is this submission protected?
- (A) Yes — any language used in any State is acceptable before Union officers
- (B) Yes — the Constitution permits any language for grievances to Union authorities
- (C) Only if the Union officer agrees to accept it
- (D) No — for Union officers the representation must be in a language used in the Union
37.Does Article 350, by its text, impose an obligation on the officer or authority to accept or respond in the language in which the representation is submitted?
- (A) No — it only entitles a person to submit a representation in those languages
- (B) Yes — it obliges the officer to accept and reply in that language
- (C) Yes — it requires the officer to translate it into an official language
- (D) It requires acceptance but not a reply
38.According to Article 350A, at which stage of education shall facilities for instruction in the mother-tongue be provided?
- (A) Primary stage of education
- (B) Secondary stage of education
- (C) Pre-primary (early childhood) education
- (D) Higher education (college and university)
39.Who does Article 350A state should endeavour to provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother-tongue?
- (A) The President
- (B) Every State and every local authority within the State
- (C) The Parliament
- (D) The Central Government
40.To whom may the President issue directions under Article 350A for securing the provision of such facilities?
- (A) Any local authority within a State
- (B) Parliament
- (C) Any State
- (D) The Central Government
41.Which phrase in Article 350A indicates the nature of the obligation on States and local authorities to provide such facilities?
- (A) "the President may issue such directions"
- (B) "It shall be the endeavour of every State and of every local authority within the State"
- (C) "to provide adequate facilities"
- (D) "as he considers necessary or proper"
42.Who appoints the Special Officer for linguistic minorities under Article 350B?
- (A) Parliament
- (B) The President
- (C) The Prime Minister
- (D) The Chief Justice of India
43.What is the primary duty of the Special Officer under Article 350B(2)?
- (A) To legislate safeguards for linguistic minorities
- (B) To enforce language policy in States
- (C) To adjudicate disputes between linguistic groups
- (D) To investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided for linguistic minorities and report to the President
44.At what intervals is the Special Officer required to report to the President under Article 350B(2)?
- (A) Annually
- (B) Only when a State Government requests
- (C) At such intervals as the President may direct
- (D) Every five years
45.After receiving reports from the Special Officer, the President is required to do which of the following under Article 350B(2)?
- (A) Cause all such reports to be laid before each House of Parliament and sent to the Governments of the States concerned
- (B) Forward them only to the Lok Sabha
- (C) Publish them in the Official Gazette and send to State High Courts
- (D) Send them only to the Ministry of Home Affairs
46.Which best describes the scope of the Special Officer's investigatory duty under Article 350B(2)?
- (A) To investigate all matters relating to linguistic minorities generally
- (B) To investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided for linguistic minorities under the Constitution and report to the President
- (C) To investigate only matters referred to the Officer by State Governments
- (D) To investigate matters only when Parliament directs
47.Which of the following is stated as a duty of the Union under Article 351?
- (A) To make Hindi the sole official language of India.
- (B) To promote the spread of the Hindi language.
- (C) To abolish the use of other Indian languages.
- (D) To enforce Sanskrit as the only medium of expression.
48.According to Article 351, the vocabulary of Hindi should be drawn primarily from which source?
- (A) English
- (B) Persian
- (C) Sanskrit
- (D) Dravidian languages
49.Article 351 permits the Union to "secure its enrichment by assimilating ... the forms, style and expressions" from Hindustani and the languages in the Eighth Schedule subject to what condition?
- (A) That such assimilation does not interfere with its genius.
- (B) That assimilation must replace native Hindi forms.
- (C) That assimilation is allowed only from foreign languages.
- (D) That assimilation requires State government approval.
50.Who is specifically made responsible by Article 351 for promoting and developing the Hindi language?
- (A) State governments
- (B) Local municipal bodies
- (C) Private educational institutions
- (D) The Union
Answer key
Explanations
- 1. (A) Article 343(1) expressly states that the official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script. The provision names Hindi in Devanagari script as the official language, not English or other scripts.
- 2. (B) Article 343(1) provides that the form of numerals for official purposes shall be the international form of Indian numerals. The Devanagari form is mentioned elsewhere as a permissible addition, not as the default here.
- 3. (C) Article 343(2) states that, notwithstanding clause (1), for a period of fifteen years from commencement 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. It does not say English ceases or that special parliamentary action is needed within that period.
- 4. (D) The proviso to Article 343(2) states that the President may, during the fifteen-year period, by order authorise the use of the Hindi language in addition to English and of the Devanagari numerals in addition to the international form for any official purposes of the Union. The authority given is explicitly the President.
- 5. (C) Article 343(3) states that Parliament may by law provide for the use, after the fifteen-year period, of (a) the English language, or (b) the Devanagari form of numerals, for such purposes as may be specified in the law. This wording permits Parliament to provide for either the English language or the Devanagari numerals for specified purposes.
- 6. (C) Clause (1) states that the President shall, at the expiration of five years from the commencement of the Constitution and thereafter at the expiration of ten years, by order constitute a Commission. Thus the first constitution is after five years, then every ten years thereafter.
- 7. (A) Clause (4) provides that the Committee shall consist of thirty members, of whom twenty shall be members of the House of the People and ten shall be members of the Council of States. Therefore twenty members are from the House of the People.
- 8. (B) Clause (1) states the Commission shall consist of a Chairman and such other members representing the different languages specified in the Eighth Schedule as the President may appoint. Therefore the President appoints those members.
- 9. (D) Clause (6) states that notwithstanding article 343, the President may, after consideration of the report referred to in clause (5), issue directions in accordance with the whole or any part of that report. The wording ‘may’ shows the President has discretion, not a binding obligation to implement in full.
- 10. (B) Clause (3) expressly begins ‘In making their recommendations under clause (2), the Commission shall have due regard ...’, so the duty is placed on the Commission while making recommendations. It does not state that the Committee has the same statutory duty.
- 11. (B) The text allows the State Legislature to 'adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi' for official purposes, which clearly permits adopting more than one language. There is no requirement of parliamentary approval in this provision.
- 12. (C) The proviso to Article 345 provides 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.' This preserves pre‑existing English usage until changed by the State law.
- 13. (B) Article 345 expressly allows the State Legislature to adopt 'any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi' for official purposes, so adopting Hindi is permitted even if it is not among the languages already in use. The provision does not require Presidential permission or a central law for this power.
- 14. (B) Article 345 begins with the qualification 'Subject to the provisions of articles 346 and 347,' indicating the State Legislature's power to adopt languages is not absolute but is subject to those other constitutional provisions. Nothing in Article 345 requires prior parliamentary approval.
- 15. (A) Article 346 states that '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.' Therefore the Union-authorised official language is prescribed for such communications.
- 16. (B) The provision explicitly makes 'the language for the time being authorised for use in the Union for official purposes' the official language for communication between States and between a State and the Union, not separate state-level or presidential choices.
- 17. (A) The main clause of Article 346 declares that the language authorised for use in the Union for official purposes 'shall be the official language for communication between one State and another State', so the Union-authorised language applies automatically to State-to-State communication.
- 18. (C) The proviso to Article 346 says 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.' Thus states can mutually agree to use Hindi specifically.
- 19. (B) The proviso specifically allows Hindi to be used 'for communication between such States' when two or more States agree; it does not say that this agreement applies to communication between a State and the Union, so the proviso is limited to inter‑State communication.
- 20. (A) The provision states "the President may ... direct that such language shall also be officially recognised...", so the power to direct recognition is vested in the President.
- 21. (C) The provision authorises the President to direct that the language "shall also be officially recognised throughout that State or any part thereof", so recognition may apply to the whole State or to any part of it.
- 22. (B) Article 347 ends with the phrase "for such purpose as he may specify", which means the President may limit or specify the purpose(s) for which the language is officially recognised.
- 23. (B) The provision begins with "On a demand being made in that behalf the President may...", indicating the power is triggered by a demand and not by unilateral action without such a demand.
- 24. (A) Article 348(1)(a) states that, until Parliament provides otherwise, all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every High Court shall be in the English language. The provision explicitly mandates English for proceedings.
- 25. (C) Article 348(1)(b)(i) expressly includes 'all Bills to be introduced or amendments thereto' as authoritative texts that shall be in the English language. Judgments and administrative circulars are not so listed under clause (1)(b).
- 26. (B) Article 348(2) permits the Governor, with previous consent of the President, to authorise Hindi (or other official State languages) in proceedings of the High Court having its principal seat in the State, and the proviso expressly states that this clause does not apply to any judgment, decree or order passed by such High Court.
- 27. (A) Article 348(3) provides that where a State Legislature uses a language other than English, a translation in English published under the authority of the Governor in the Official Gazette of the State shall be deemed the authoritative English text under this article.
- 28. (D) The opening words expressly qualify the Article: its rules operate 'until Parliament by law otherwise provides', meaning the language requirements apply for now but Parliament may change them by law. It does not make the arrangement permanent or remove Parliament's legislative power.
- 29. (A) The provision begins: 'Special procedure for enactment of certain laws relating to language.' This phrase explicitly states the subject of Article 349.
- 30. (B) The text states: 'During the period of fifteen years from the commencement of this Constitution...' which makes clear the period is fifteen years.
- 31. (D) The provision states the President 'shall not give his sanction ... except after he has taken into consideration the recommendations of the Commission constituted under clause (1) of article 344 and the report of the Committee constituted under clause (4) of that article.' Both must be considered.
- 32. (A) The text specifies 'no Bill or amendment ... shall be introduced or moved in either House ... without the previous sanction of the President.' This language makes the requirement applicable to both introduction of Bills and moving of amendments.
- 33. (A) The provision states, "Every person shall be entitled to submit a representation for the redress of any grievance..." which plainly grants the right to submit representations to every person, not limited to citizens or residents.
- 34. (B) Article 350 specifies the entitlement to submit a representation "to any officer or authority of the Union or a State," so the right extends to any such officer or authority rather than being limited to courts or one level of government.
- 35. (C) The provision allows submission "in any of the languages used in the Union or in the State, as the case may be." For a State authority, this means the representation may be in any of the languages used in that State.
- 36. (D) Article 350 permits submission "in any of the languages used in the Union or in the State, as the case may be." For representations to a Union officer, the applicable set is the languages used in the Union, so a language used only in a State would not be covered.
- 37. (A) The Article states that "Every person shall be entitled to submit a representation... in any of the languages used..." which establishes an entitlement to submit in specified languages. It does not, by its text, impose a duty on the officer to accept, translate or reply in that language.
- 38. (A) The provision expressly states "at the primary stage of education" as the stage for providing instruction in the mother-tongue. The text does not mention secondary, pre-primary, or higher education.
- 39. (B) Article 350A says "It shall be the endeavour of every State and of every local authority within the State to provide adequate facilities...". The President, Parliament, and Central Government are not named as the primary addressees for the endeavour in the text.
- 40. (C) The Article provides that "the President may issue such directions to any State as he considers necessary or proper for securing the provision of such facilities." It specifies directions to States, not directly to local authorities, Parliament, or the Central Government.
- 41. (B) The phrase "It shall be the endeavour of every State and of every local authority within the State" signals that the provision imposes an endeavour or aspirational obligation rather than an absolute imperative. Other phrases describe the President's power or the object but do not define the nature of the duty.
- 42. (B) Article 350B(1) states: 'There shall be a Special Officer for linguistic minorities to be appointed by the President.' Hence the President appoints the Special Officer.
- 43. (D) Article 350B(2) explicitly states the duty is 'to investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided for linguistic minorities under this Constitution and report to the President.' Thus investigation and reporting is the primary duty.
- 44. (C) Article 350B(2) states reports are to be made 'at such intervals as the President may direct.' Therefore the timing is determined by the President, not fixed periodicity.
- 45. (A) Article 350B(2) directs that the President 'shall cause all such reports to be laid before each House of Parliament, and sent to the Governments of the States concerned.' Those are the specified actions.
- 46. (B) Article 350B(2) limits the duty to 'investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided for linguistic minorities under this Constitution' and to report to the President. It does not state a duty to investigate every matter concerning linguistic minorities generally or restrict investigations to referrals.
- 47. (B) Article 351 states, "It shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language," so the Union's duty is to promote the spread of Hindi, not to make it sole or abolish other languages.
- 48. (C) The provision says Hindi should be enriched "by drawing, wherever necessary or desirable, for its vocabulary, primarily on Sanskrit and secondarily on other languages," so Sanskrit is the primary source.
- 49. (A) The text provides that enrichment is to be done "by assimilating without interfering with its genius, the forms, style and expressions used in Hindustani and in the other languages of India specified in the Eighth Schedule," so assimilation must not interfere with Hindi's genius.
- 50. (D) Article 351 begins "It shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language," which places the responsibility on the Union rather than on States or private bodies.