How many languages are included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of…

Concept

The Eighth Schedule is the constitutional list of India's scheduled languages. Its total is counted from the entries currently in the Schedule, including additions made by constitutional amendments rather than only the original 1950 list.

Application

1. The Constitution originally listed 14 languages in the Eighth Schedule.

2. The 21st Constitutional Amendment added Sindhi, taking the count to 15.

3. The 71st Constitutional Amendment added Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali, taking the count to 18.

4. The 92nd Constitutional Amendment added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali, taking the count to 22.

Contrast

• 28 overcounts the languages formally enumerated in the Schedule.

• 24 includes two entries beyond those inserted through constitutional amendment.

• 18 was an earlier total in the Schedule's historical expansion.

• 22 is the present total after the amendments that expanded the original list.

Cross-check

The current Eighth Schedule enumerates 22 entries; therefore, the required number is 22.