“Tracing the Legacy: How India’s 1963 Office Languages Act Shaped the 1976 Official Languages Rules”
Context :- The 1963 Office Languages Act gave birth to the 1976 Official Languages Rules , which were amended in 1987. Note that the "official" languages of the Indian Union (federal government) are Hindi and English, not the 18 "constitutional" languages. Complete Text of the Official Languages Act :- Department of Official Language The Official Languages Rules (1976) Use for Official Purpose of the Union G.S.R 1052 - In exercise of the powers conferred by section 8, read with sub-section(4) of section 3 of the Official Languages Act, 1963 (19 of 1963), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely: Article 1 Short title, extent and commencement (i) These rules may be called the Official Languages (Use for Official Purposes of the Union) Rules, 1976. (ii) They shall extend to the whole of India, except the State of Tamilnadu. (iii) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. Article 2 Definitions -...