How Many Languages Does India Have? State-Wise Classification and FAQs

India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. While the Constitution of India recognizes 22 official languages, the country has over 1,600 spoken languages and dialects.

Total Number of Languages in India

• 22 Scheduled Languages (Recognized by the Indian Constitution under the Eighth Schedule).
• 100+ Major Languages (Spoken by large populations in different states).
• 1,600+ Dialects (Regional and tribal languages spoken across the country).

State-Wise Classification of Languages in India

1. Northern India

State/UT	Official Language(s)	Other Major Languages
Uttar Pradesh	Hindi	Urdu, Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Braj
Uttarakhand	Hindi, Sanskrit	Garhwali, Kumaoni
Punjab	Punjabi	Hindi, English
Haryana	Hindi	Haryanvi, Punjabi
Himachal Pradesh	Hindi	Pahari, Kangri
Jammu & Kashmir	Urdu, Kashmiri, Dogri	Hindi, English
Ladakh	Ladakhi, Urdu	Balti, Shina

2. Western India

State/UT	Official Language(s)	Other Major Languages
Rajasthan	Hindi	Rajasthani, Marwari, Mewari
Gujarat	Gujarati	Hindi, English
Maharashtra	Marathi	Hindi, Konkani
Goa	Konkani	Marathi, English

3. Eastern India

State/UT	Official Language(s)	Other Major Languages
Bihar	Hindi, Urdu	Maithili, Bhojpuri, Magahi
Jharkhand	Hindi	Santhali, Mundari, Ho
West Bengal	Bengali	Hindi, Nepali
Odisha	Odia	Hindi, Santali

4. Southern India

State/UT	Official Language(s)	Other Major Languages
Tamil Nadu	Tamil	Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam
Karnataka	Kannada	Tulu, Konkani, Kodava
Kerala	Malayalam	Tamil, English
Andhra Pradesh	Telugu	Urdu, Kannada
Telangana	Telugu, Urdu	Hindi

5. North-eastern India

State/UT	Official Language(s)	Other Major Languages
Assam	Assamese	Bengali, Bodo
Arunachal Pradesh	English	Nyishi, Monpa, Apatani
Manipur	Meitei (Manipuri)	Tangkhul, Thadou
Meghalaya	English	Khasi, Garo
Mizoram	Mizo (Lushai)	English, Hindi
Nagaland	English	Ao, Angami, Lotha
Tripura	Bengali, Kokborok	Hindi, Chakma
Sikkim	English, Nepali	Lepcha, Bhutia

6. Union Territories

Union Territory	Official Language(s)	Other Major Languages
Delhi	Hindi, English	Punjabi, Urdu
Chandigarh	English	Punjabi, Hindi
Andaman & Nicobar Islands	Hindi, English	Tamil, Telugu
Lakshadweep	Malayalam	Jeseri, Mahl
Puducherry	Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam	English, French
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu	Gujarati, Hindi	Marathi

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How many official languages does India have?

India has 22 official languages recognized under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

2. What is the most spoken language in India?

Hindi is the most spoken language, with over 40% of India's population using it as their primary language.

3. Is English an official language in India?

English is not a scheduled language, but it is used for official and administrative purposes along with Hindi.

4. Which Indian state has the most languages?

Arunachal Pradesh has the highest linguistic diversity, with over 90 languages spoken.

5. Which is the least spoken language in India?

Many tribal languages, such as Great Andamanese and Aka-Bo, have very few speakers left.

6. What is the status of Sanskrit in India?

Sanskrit is an official language in Uttarakhand and is promoted as a classical language, but it is spoken by a small population.

7. Can I choose a regional language in board exams?

Yes, students can choose from multiple languages, including regional languages, depending on the education board (CBSE, ICSE, State Boards).

8. Are dialects different from languages?

Yes, dialects are variations of a language with distinct vocabulary and pronunciation, but they are not classified as separate languages.

9. What is the rarest Indian language?

Languages like Sidi, Nihali, and Toto are spoken by very few people and are considered endangered.

10. What are classical languages of India?

India has six classical languages:

1. Sanskrit
2. Tamil
3. Telugu
4. Kannada
5. Malayalam
6. Odia