As of October 3, 2024, how many languages have been accorded the status of…

Classical Language status is a designation conferred by the Government of India on languages that meet criteria fixed by the Ministry of Culture, following the Linguistic Experts Committee's July 2024 revision: high antiquity of early texts or recorded history spanning 1,500-2,000 years; a body of ancient literature and knowledge texts (including prose alongside poetry, plus epigraphical or inscriptional evidence) considered valuable heritage; and a literary tradition that may be distinct from, or discontinuous with, its later or current form. The list of Classical Languages grows only when the Union Cabinet formally approves an addition.

1. Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia were classified as Classical Languages between 2004 and 2014, taking the total to six.

2. On 3 October 2024, the Union Cabinet approved Classical Language status for five more languages: Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali.

3. Adding these five newly approved languages to the existing six gives 6 + 5 = 11 Classical Languages in India as of 3 October 2024.

This total is corroborated by the Ministry of Culture's press release accompanying the Cabinet decision, which records the count rising from six to eleven with this single approval. Among the offered figures, only this count reflects both the pre-2024 base of six languages and the five-language addition made on that date.

Therefore, as of October 3, 2024, 11 languages have been accorded the status of Classical Language in India.