The Official Language of the Union

In one line

Hindi in Devanagari is the official language of the Union, English was to go in 1965, and Parliament was given the power to keep it, which it used.

In the wording a student can write in an exam: article 343(1) provides that the official language of the Union shall be Hindi in the Devanagari script and that the form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the Union shall be the international form of Indian numerals. Article 343(2) provided that for fifteen years from the commencement of the Constitution the English language should continue to be used for all official purposes for which it was being used immediately before, with a proviso permitting the President to authorise the use of Hindi in addition. Article 343(3) empowered Parliament by law to provide for the continued use of English after that period, and Parliament did so by the Official Languages Act 1963. Article 344 provided for a Commission and a Committee of Parliament to review the position, article 345 lets a State adopt its own official language, article 346 provides for communication between States and with the Union, and article 347 lets the President recognise a language spoken by a section of a State's population.

Article 343, clause by clause

Clause (1). The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script. The form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the Union shall be the international form of Indian numerals.

The numerals clause is not decoration. It settled a real dispute in the Constituent Assembly between the international form, the figures used in this sentence, and the Devanagari form. The international form won, and it is why an Indian government notification in Hindi carries the figures a reader of English recognises.

Clause (2). Notwithstanding anything in clause (1), for a period of fifteen years from the commencement of this Constitution, the English language shall continue to be used for all the official purposes of the Union for which it was being used immediately before such commencement. The proviso allows the President during that period to authorise by order the use of Hindi in addition to English, and of the Devanagari form of numerals in addition to the international form, for any of the official purposes of the Union.

Fifteen years from 26 January 1950 is 26 January 1965. That date is the whole of the political history of this topic.

Clause (3). Notwithstanding anything in this article, Parliament may by law provide for the use, after the said period of fifteen years, of the English language, or the Devanagari form of numerals, for such purposes as may be specified in the law.