Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, along with members of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee, calls on the Hon’ble President today and presents the Committee's 13th report

1. At a Glance

The Committee of Parliament on Official Language (COPOL), chaired by Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, submitted its 13th Report to the President of India on 16 February 2026 [S1].
COPOL is a statutory committee constituted under Section 4 of the Official Languages Act, 1963, mandated to review the progressive use of Hindi for official purposes of the Union [S2][S3].
For UPSC, this links Polity (Articles 343-351, Eighth Schedule), Governance (federalism in language policy), and current affairs on Rajbhasha implementation.

On 16 Feb 2026, Shri Amit Shah, along with members of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee, called on the President and presented the Committee's 13th Report [S1].
PIB notes four reports have been submitted to the President in the last six years, framed as an "acceleration" of COPOL's work [S1].

Article 343 of the Constitution declares Hindi in Devanagari script as the official language of the Union; English continued for 15 years from 26 Jan 1950 [S3].
Article 344(1): President to constitute a Language Commission after 5 years and again after 10 years from commencement (the B.G. Kher Commission, 1955 was the first) [S3].
Article 344(4): provides for a Committee of Parliament to examine the Commission's recommendations [S3].
Official Languages Act, 1963 (Act 19 of 1963): Section 4 institutionalises a permanent Committee of Parliament on Official Language with 30 members (20 Lok Sabha + 10 Rajya Sabha) elected by proportional representation, to review Hindi progress and report to the President [S2][S3].
Only 9 reports had been submitted till 2014; subsequent reports (10th, 11th, 12th, 13th) have been submitted at a faster cadence under HM Shah's chairmanship [S1].

Parent Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs → Department of Official Language (Rajbhasha Vibhag), established 1975 (Golden Jubilee in 2025) [S4].
Statutory base: Section 4, Official Languages Act, 1963 [S2].
Constitutional anchor: Articles 343–351, Part XVII, Eighth Schedule (currently 22 scheduled languages) [S3].
Chairperson: Union Home Minister (convention since 1976); Shri Amit Shah re-elected unanimously as Chairperson (post-2024 reconstitution) [S5].
Composition: 30 MPs — 20 Lok Sabha + 10 Rajya Sabha [S2].
Reporting authority: President of India, who may then issue directions [S2][S3].

Constitutional / Legal: COPOL is the only Parliamentary Committee with statutory base in an enactment plus constitutional sanction via Art. 344(4); reports go to the President, not Parliament [S2][S3].
Administrative / Governance: Reviews Hindi usage across Union ministries, PSUs, banks; recommendations operationalised through Presidential Orders (e.g., Annual Programme of Department of Official Language) [S4].
Federal: Tensions persist with non-Hindi states (especially Tamil Nadu) over perceived Hindi imposition; COPOL recommendations historically (e.g., 11th report's Hindi-as-medium proposal in central institutions in Hindi-belt states) have triggered federal pushback.
Cultural / Social: Modernisation focus — terminology, digital tools, Hindi in technical/scientific domains; Department of Official Language marked 50 years in 2025 [S4].

16 Feb 2026: 13th Report presented to the President by HM Amit Shah and COPOL members [S1].
2024 (post-18th Lok Sabha): Amit Shah unanimously re-elected Chairperson of COPOL [S5].
2025: Department of Official Language Golden Jubilee Celebration addressed by HM as Chief Guest [S4].
Hindi Diwas, 14 September observed annually; HM issued messages [S6].

COPOL is constituted under Section 4, Official Languages Act, 1963 — not directly under the Constitution [S2].
Constitutional enabling provision: Article 344(4) [S3].
Composition: 30 members — 20 Lok Sabha + 10 Rajya Sabha, elected by proportional representation [S2].
COPOL submits its report to the President (not Parliament) [S2].
13th Report presented on 16 February 2026 [S1].
First Official Language Commission: B.G. Kher Commission, 1955 (under Art. 344(1)) [S3].
Hindi in Devanagari script = Union's official language under Article 343 [S3].
Department of Official Language: under Ministry of Home Affairs, established 1975 [S4].
Eighth Schedule: currently 22 languages [S3].
Chairperson of COPOL by convention = Union Home Minister [S5].

GS-II: Polity & Governance — Parliament & State Legislatures, Statutory bodies, Federalism, Centre-State relations.
Syllabus headings: "Parliament and State Legislatures—Structure, functioning..."; "Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies".
Question stems: 1. "Discuss the constitutional and statutory framework governing the use of Hindi as the official language of the Union. How has the Committee of Parliament on Official Language influenced this trajectory?" 2. "Examine the federal implications of recommendations made by the Committee of Parliament on Official Language." 3. "Despite constitutional sanction, the promotion of Hindi as the Union's official language remains contested. Comment."

Eighth Schedule of the Constitution — 22 languages, demands for inclusion (Tulu, Bhojpuri etc.).
Articles 343–351 — comprehensive Part XVII provisions.
Official Languages Act, 1963 & Official Languages Rules, 1976 — operational backbone.
Department of Official Language — Annual Programme, Region A/B/C classification.
B.G. Kher Commission (1955) & M.C. Chagla Committee (1957) — historical roots.
Three-Language Formula (NEP 2020) — language policy in education.
Classical Language status — criteria, recently added languages (2024 expansion).
Sri Krishna Committee on Linguistic States linkage — federal sensitivity.

COPOL is not a Department-Related Standing Committee; it is a statutory Parliamentary Committee under the OL Act, 1963.
It submits report to the President, not to Parliament or PM.
Article 343 (official language) ≠ Article 344 (Commission & Committee) ≠ Article 351 (directive to promote Hindi).
The Department of Official Language is under MHA, not the Ministry of Education or Ministry of Culture.
Eighth Schedule lists scheduled languages, not "official languages of states" — distinct concept.

[S1] Union Home Minister... presents the Committee's 13th report — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2228867 — (tier: 1)
[S2] Official Languages Act, 1963 (Section 4) — https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1526/1/A1963__19.pdf — (tier: 1)
[S3] Constitution of India (Part XVII, Articles 343-351; Eighth Schedule) — https://www.legislative.gov.in/constitution-of-india — (tier: 1)
[S4] HM addresses Golden Jubilee of Department of Official Language — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2139919 — (tier: 1)
[S5] Amit Shah unanimously re-elected Chairperson, COPOL — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2053252 — (tier: 1)
[S6] HM's Hindi Diwas message — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1957202 — (tier: 1)