FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

With a view to ensuring compliance of the constitutional and legal provisions regarding official language and to promote the use of Hindi for the official purposes of the Union, the Department of Official language was set up in June 1975 as an independent Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Since then, this Department has been making efforts for the progressive use of Hindi for the official purposes of the Union. In accordance with the Government of India(Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, this Department has been entrusted with the following items of work:-

1. Implementation of the provisions of the Constitution relating to the Official Language and the provisions of the Official Languages Act, 1963, (19 of 1963) except to the extent such implementation has been assigned to any other Department.
2. Prior approval of the President for authorising the limited use of a language other than English in the proceedings in the High Court of a State.
3. Nodal responsibility for all matters relating to the progressive use of Hindi as the Official Language of the Union, including Hindi Teaching Scheme for Central Government employees and publication of magazines, journals and other literature related thereto.
4. Coordination in all matters relating to the progressive use of Hindi as the Official Language of the Union, including administrative terminology, syllabi, textbooks, training courses and equipment (with standardised script) required therefor.
5. Constitution and cadre-management of the Central Secretariat Official Language Service.
6. Matters relating to the Kendriya Hindi Samiti including its Sub-Committies.
7. Coordination of work relating to the Hindi Salahkar Samities set up by the various Ministries/Departments.
8. Matters relating to the Central Translation Bureau.