Which of the following is not a classical language in India ?

The correct answer is Hindi.

Key Points

• Hindi is not recognized as a classical language in India.
• The criteria for a classical language include its antiquity, a rich heritage of literary works, and its original traditions. Hindi does not meet these criteria as it is derived from Sanskrit and evolved over time.
• Currently, India recognizes six classical languages: Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odiya.
• Hindi is, however, recognized as one of the official languages of India and is widely spoken across the country.

Additional Information

• Odiya: Odiya was declared a classical language in 2014. It has a rich literary heritage and is more than 1,000 years old.
• Malayalam: Malayalam was accorded classical language status in 2013. It has a rich tradition of literature and has been in existence for over 1,000 years.
• Tamil: Tamil is one of the oldest languages in the world, dating back over 2,000 years. It was the first language to be declared classical in 2004.
• Sanskrit: Sanskrit is considered the mother of many Indian languages and has a vast repository of ancient texts. It was declared classical in 2005.
• Criteria for Classical Language Status: A language must have a recorded history of more than 1,000 years, a rich heritage of literature, and original traditions to be considered classical.