Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday announced that Assamese will be the compulsory official language for all government notifications, orders, acts, and similar official works across the state, starting from the Bohag Bihu season. The decision marks a significant push to strengthen the cultural identity of the Assamese language in state administration.
In a notification issued by the state government, it was clarified that while Assamese will be the official language across most of the state:
- Bodo will be used in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR)
- Bengali will be used in Barak Valley districts
The directive also noted that English will continue to be used for communication with:
- The Government of India
- Central government offices
- Other state governments
Additionally, the notification stated:
“For interpretation of provisions contained in any rules, acts, regulations, office orders, court orders or judgments, the English version shall prevail.”
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), CM Sarma posted:
“Beginning this Bohag, Assamese will be the compulsory official language for all government notifications, orders, acts etc. across Assam.”
Language Landscape of Assam (as per 2011 Census):
- Assamese: ~15.1 million speakers (48.38%)
- Bengali: ~9.02 million speakers (29.9%)
- Bodo: ~1.48 million speakers (4.5%)
These numbers reflect the linguistic diversity of Assam, shaped by its multi-ethnic and multicultural identity.
The move follows the Union Cabinet’s October 3, 2024 decision to grant classical language status to Assamese, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, and Bengali — a significant recognition of linguistic heritage. Subsequently, the Assam state cabinet, on October 8, passed a resolution celebrating this milestone and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the “significant gesture towards Assam’s cultural and language heritage.”
This latest linguistic policy reinforces the state’s commitment to preserving Assamese identity while also respecting the linguistic rights of minority regions through tailored official language use.
