According to Article ________ of the Indian Constitution, “The official…

Concept

Part XVII (Articles 343 to 351) of the Constitution of India deals with the Official Language. Article 343(1) lays down the language of the Union: it declares that the official language of the Union shall be Hindi written in the Devanagari script, with the international form of Indian numerals to be used for official purposes.

Application

1. The statement quoted in the blank — “The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script” — is the exact wording of the opening declaration on the Union's language.

2. This declaration is made in Article 343(1), the first provision of Part XVII on Official Language.

3. Therefore the Article number that fills the blank is 343.

Contrast

• 343 — Official language of the Union (Hindi in Devanagari script). This is the provision quoted in the stem.

• 350B — Provides for a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities; it concerns safeguards for linguistic minorities, not the Union's official language.

• 368 — Deals with the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution and the procedure for amendment; it has nothing to do with language.

• 370 — Was the temporary provision granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir; it does not concern the official language of the Union.