Kerala’s Malayalam Language Bill, 2025: Linguistic Assertion and Federal Challenges
Context
Kerala has enacted the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, signalling a renewed push to strengthen the role of Malayalam in public administration, education, law and digital governance. The legislation has revived broader debates on linguistic federalism, minority protections, and inter-State sensitivities, particularly in linguistically diverse border regions.
Overview of the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025
Official language status: The Bill seeks to designate Malayalam as the exclusive official language of the State of Kerala.
Functional expansion: It mandates the systematic use of Malayalam in multiple sectors, including:
- Public administration and governance
- School education
- Judicial processes
- Government communication
- Trade and commercial activities
- Digital platforms and information technology systems
Existing arrangement: Kerala currently accords official status to both Malayalam and English.
Policy shift: The proposed law represents a calibrated move towards Malayalam primacy, subject to constitutional limitations.
Salient Features of the Legislation
School education:
- Malayalam will be prescribed as the mandatory first language in all government and aided schools up to Class X.
- Linguistic minority students may pursue their mother tongue, wherever institutional provisions exist, in alignment with the National Curriculum Framework.
Legislative and judicial usage:
- All State Bills and Ordinances will be drafted and presented in Malayalam.
- Judicial orders and court proceedings will be progressively translated into Malayalam.
- Select Central and State statutes originally published in English will be rendered into Malayalam.
Administrative practices:
- Malayalam will serve as the principal medium for official correspondence and public-facing communication.
- Linguistic minorities may communicate with government authorities in their native languages within notified areas.
Technology and e-governance:
- The State’s IT apparatus will design open-source digital applications to enable effective use of Malayalam across e-governance platforms.
Implementation mechanism:
- The Official Language wing of the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department will be restructured as the Malayalam Language Development Department.
- A dedicated Language Development Directorate will monitor execution and compliance.
Rationale Behind the Legislative Push
Cultural consolidation: The Bill reflects Kerala’s long-standing policy objective of reinforcing Malayalam as the central language of public life.
Precedent of 2015: A similar law enacted in 2015 failed to secure Presidential assent.
Concerns raised earlier included:
- Potential inconsistency with the Official Language Act, 1963
- Insufficient safeguards for linguistic minorities
- Possible deviation from the Three-Language Formula
- Overlap with provisions of the Right to Education Act, 2009
Course correction in 2025: The present Bill incorporates revisions and safeguards, with the State asserting adherence to constitutional and statutory norms.
Inter-State Concerns and Political Reactions
Response from Karnataka:
- The Karnataka government has criticised the Bill as constitutionally problematic, especially for Kannada-speaking populations in Kerala’s Kasaragod district.
Issues flagged:
- Mandatory first-language status for Malayalam may dilute Kannada language education.
- Apprehensions of cultural marginalisation in border regions.
Formal intervention:
- The Karnataka Border Area Development Authority has petitioned the Kerala Governor, requesting reconsideration of assent.
State Government’s Clarifications
Minority accommodation: Kerala has maintained that the law protects speakers of Kannada, Tamil, Tulu and Konkani.
Administrative flexibility: Minority communities may correspond with authorities in their respective languages in designated areas.
Educational exemptions:
- Students may continue instruction in non-Malayalam languages where permitted.
- Migrant and foreign students are exempted from Malayalam language examinations at secondary and higher secondary levels.
Constitutional alignment: The State argues that the legislation upholds Articles 29 and 30, ensuring cultural and educational rights of minorities.
Federal and Constitutional Implications
Language and federalism: Language policy remains a delicate issue within India’s quasi-federal framework.
State autonomy vs national norms: While States may determine official languages, such authority is circumscribed by:
- Fundamental Rights
- Minority protections
- Central legislations governing official language use
Broader significance: The episode highlights tensions between regional linguistic assertion and pluralism in border regions, with the Governor’s decision likely to set an important precedent.
Way Forward
The Malayalam Language Bill, 2025 represents Kerala’s effort to deepen linguistic self-expression in governance and public life.
However, inter-State objections underline the need for consultative federalism and balanced implementation.
Its eventual fate will depend on constitutional scrutiny, political negotiation, and administrative pragmatism, making it a key reference point for debates on language policy and cooperative federalism in India.
Source : The Hindu