What is Article 349 of Indian Constitution – Defination & Meaning

Article 349: Special procedure for enactment of certain laws relating to language. During the period of fifteen years from the commencement of this
📅 Part XVII – Official Language
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📚 UPSC Relevant

Article Number

349

part

Part XVII – Official Language

Status

Active

Bare Acts Text

Article 349: Special procedure for enactment of certain laws relating to language.

  • During the period of fifteen years from the commencement of this Constitution, no Bill or amendment making provision for the language to be used for any of the purposes mentioned in clause (1) of article 348 shall be introduced or moved in either House of Parliament without the previous sanction of the President, and the President shall not give his sanction to the introduction of any such Bill or the moving of any such amendment except after he has taken into consideration the recommendations of the Commission constituted under clause (1) of article 344 and the report of the Committee constituted under clause (4) of that article.
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Full Definition & Explanation

Article 349 of the Indian Constitution lays out a special procedure for creating laws related to language. This article specifically concerns the languages used for official purposes, as described in Article 348. For a period of fifteen years from when the Constitution began, any bill or amendment about language use cannot be introduced in Parliament without the President’s prior approval. This means that the President must consider recommendations from a Commission and a Committee that focus on language issues.

Historical Context

This article specifically concerns the languages used for official purposes, as described in Article 348. For a period of fifteen years from when the Constitution began, any bill or amendment about language use cannot be introduced in Parliament without the President’s prior approval. This means that the President must consider recommendations from a Commission and a Committee that focus on language issues. This procedure shows how key the topic of language is in a diverse nation like India, where multiple languages coexist.

Key Features

– It requires prior approval from the President for language-related bills.
– The President considers recommendations from a dedicated Commission.
– The article applies for fifteen years from the Constitution’s commencement.
– It focuses on languages used for official purposes in government.
– It emphasizes India’s multilingual diversity in legislative processes.

Importance & Impact

– Facilitates structured language legislation in the Indian Parliament
– Ensures that local languages are considered in national policies
– Promotes inclusivity in governance by addressing language diversity
– Encourages a careful approach to language changes in law
– Affects the way languages are used in administrative functions

Sample UPSC Question

Which of the following statements about Article 349 is correct? A) It allows any language bill without approval. B) The President’s approval is mandatory for such bills. C) It is valid for ten years from the Constitution’s commencement. D) It focuses solely on Hindi as an official language.? Analyze these options carefully in light of the constitutional distribution of legislative and executive powers.

Answer

The correct answer is B. Article 349 clearly states that the President’s approval is mandatory before any language-related bill is introduced, ensuring careful consideration. Article 349 of the Indian Constitution lays out a special procedure for creating laws related to language.

Key Takeaways

✓ Article 349 governs language law procedures
✓ Presidential approval is required for language bills
✓ It ensures representation of local languages
✓ The article emphasizes India’s linguistic diversity
✓ It aims to maintain harmony in language use.

FAQs

Article 349 provides that during the 15-year period from the Constitution’s commencement, no Bill or amendment relating to the language used for official Union purposes (Article 348 — Supreme Court, Parliament) can be introduced in Parliament without the President’s prior sanction. The President must consult the Commission constituted under Article 344(1) and the Committee constituted under Article 344(4) before granting sanction. This procedural safeguard ensured that language policy changes were gradual and consultative, preventing unilateral shifts in the delicate linguistic balance of post-Independence India.

This procedure shows how key the topic of language is in a diverse nation like India, where multiple languages coexist. Article 349 of the Indian Constitution lays out a special procedure for creating laws related to language.

This procedure shows how key the topic of language is in a diverse nation like India, where multiple languages coexist. Article 349 of the Indian Constitution lays out a special procedure for creating laws related to language.

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Pramod is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of StudyHub. He holds a Master's degree and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Geology, alongside more than 7+ years spent building and verifying competitive exam content for Indian aspirants. He leads StudyHub's editorial process across Indian Polity, the Constitution, Indian Economy, History, Geography, Science, and the platform's other subject areas — checking every article against primary sources (bare act text and Gazette notifications for constitutional topics, government and Economic Survey data for economy content, standard reference material elsewhere) and flagging it for re-verification whenever a relevant amendment, policy, or data update makes an earlier version outdated.
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