Languages with official status in Nepal

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The Constitution of Nepal recognizes all mother tongues as national languages of Nepal.[1]

History[edit]

The first legislation of Nepal Muluki Ain of 1854 (1910 B.S.) recognized Gorkha Bhasa, now known as Nepali language, as the only official working language of Nepal.[2] The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal of 1959 (2015 B.S.) recognized Nepali language as the sole official and national language.[3] The Interim Constitution of Nepal of 2007 (2063 B.S.) recognized Nepal as a multi-lingual country, providing the status of national languages to all mother tongues in Nepal. However, it also continued Nepali language as the sole official language.[4]

Constitution[edit]

The Constitution of Nepal 2015 (2072 B.S.) provisions as follows in the official language.[1]

  • Article 6: All native languages spoken in Nepal are National languages of Nepal.
  • Article 7a: The Nepali language in Devanagari script is used for Nepal government work.
  • Article 7b: Beside Nepali, the provinces can choose one or more other languages spoken by majority population of that province for government work.

Federal level[edit]

According to the constitutional provision, Nepali written in the Devanagari script is the official working language at the federal level.[1] Within the Federal Parliament of Nepal use of mother tongue is practiced. The House of Representatives Regulations, 2018 and National Assembly Regulations, 2018 provisions that members can speak in their mother tongue and it can be documented.[5][6] In 2018, parliamentarians took oath in their mother language, however they had to apply three days before the first meeting of the House of Representatives.[7] Similarly, the Ordinance Regarding Oath Taking, 2020 provisions that anyone who holds a public post can take oath in a mother tongue spoken in Nepal, however for anyone to take oath in any language apart from Nepali - they have to translate the oath format themselves and pre-inform to oath officer.[8]

Province level[edit]

Fourteen languages are recommended to have official status in provincial level.[9]

List of official languages in provinces of Nepal
State Official Languages
Koshi Province Maithili, Limbu
Madhesh Province Maithili, Bhojpuri, Bajjika
Bagmati Province Tamang, Nepal Bhasa
Gandaki Province Magar, Gurung
Lumbini Province Tharu, Bhojpuri, Awadhi
Sudurpashchim Province Tharu, Dotyali
Karnali Province Khas language (Karnali dialect), Magar

Local level[edit]

There is no constitutional provision about official languages in local level. However, local levels have taken their own initiatives to determine their official languages. The Language Commission has mentioned in its report that the constitution has given it right to determine linguistic provisions in the country and therefore recommended official languages at local levels.[9]

Province no.1[edit]

Official language in local levels in Koshi Province
No. Local level Official language(s)
1 Chulachuli Rural Municipality Limbu[10]
2 Halesi Tuwachung Municipality Chamling, Wambule, Tilung[11][12]
3 Mangsebung Rural Municipality Limbu[13]
4 Phalgunanda Rural Municipality Limbu[14]

Bagmati Province[edit]

Official language in local levels in Bagmati Province
No. Local level Official language(s)
1 Kathmandu Metropolitan City Nepal Bhasa[15]
2 Kirtipur Municipality Nepal Bhasa[16][17]
3 Lalitpur Metropolitan City Nepal Bhasa[18]

Lumbini Province[edit]

Official language in local levels in Lumbini Province
No. Local level Official language(s)
1 Ghorahi Sub-metropolitan City Tharu[19][20]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "The Constitution of Nepal" (PDF). Nepal Law Commission. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  2. ^ "मुलुकी ऐन १९१०" (PDF). Nepal Law Commission. Nepal Law Commission. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  3. ^ "नेपाल अधिराज्यको संविधान २०१५" (PDF). Nepal Law Commission. Nepal Law Commission. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  4. ^ "नेपालको अन्तरिम संविधान २०६३" (PDF). Nepal Law Commission. Nepal Law Commission. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  5. ^ "प्रतिनिधि सभा नियमावली, २०७५". Nepal Law Commission. Retrieved 7 November 2021.२३८. भाषा :- (१) प्रतिनिधि सभा वा यसका समितिको काम कारबाही नेपाली भाषामा हुनेछ । कुनै सदस्यले आफ्नो मातृभाषामा बोलेको अवस्थामा त्यसलाई अभिलेख राख्ने व्यवस्था मिलाउन सकिनेछ ।
  6. ^ "राष्ट्रिय सभा नियमावली, २०७५". Nepal Law Commission. Retrieved 7 November 2021.२२०. भाषा :- (१) राष्ट्रिय सभा वा यसका समितिको काम कारबाही नेपाली भाषामा हुनेछ । कुनै सदस्यले आफ्नो मातृभाषामा बोलेको अवस्थामा त्यसलाई अभिलेख राख्ने व्यवस्था मिलाउन सकिनेछ ।
  7. ^ "Oath in mother tongue". Himalayan News Service. The Himalayan Times. 28 Feb 2018.
  8. ^ "शपथ सम्बन्धी अध्यादेश, २०७८" (PDF). Nepal Law Commission. Retrieved 7 November 2021.५. (२)
  9. ^ a b "सरकारी कामकाजको भाषाका आधारहरूको निर्धारण तथा भाषासम्बन्धी सिफारिसहरू (पञ्चवर्षीय प्रतिवेदन- साराांश) २०७८" (PDF). Language Commission. Language Commission. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Limbu official language in Chulachuli rural municipality". Khabarhub. 28 Sep 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  11. ^ "Khotang's Halesi Tuwachung Municipality recognizes three more languages as official ones". My Republica. My Republica. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Recognition of Chamling, Wambule and Tillung Rai languages in municipal authorities features". Himal Sansar. Himal Sansar. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  13. ^ Chapagain, Bhim (1 Dec 2018). "Limbu language declared official language". My Republica. My Republica. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  14. ^ "फाल्गुनन्द गाउँपालिकाको सरकारी कामकाजको भाषा याक्थुङ लिम्बु हुने". Silauti Times. Silauti Times. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  15. ^ Ojha, Anup (22 June 2017). "Nepal Bhasa as official language in metropolis". The Kathmandu Post. The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  16. ^ "कीर्तिपुर नगर साँस्कृतिक संरक्षित क्षेत्र सम्बन्धमा व्यवस्था गर्न बनेको ऐन, २०७८" (PDF). Kirtipur Municipality. Kirtipur Municipality. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  17. ^ Kapali, Rukshana. स्थानीय तहमा नेपालभाषा सम्बन्धी सूचनाको हकद्वारा प्राप्त सूचनाको संगालो (व्यक्तिगत अभिलेखको उतार). pp. 93, 94. ISBN 978-9937-0-9816-8. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  18. ^ Kapali, Rukshana. स्थानीय तहमा नेपालभाषा सम्बन्धी सूचनाको हकद्वारा प्राप्त सूचनाको संगालो (व्यक्तिगत अभिलेखको उतार). pp. 104, 105. ISBN 978-9937-0-9816-8. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  19. ^ "Tharu to become official language in Ghorahi". My Republica. My Republica. 7 Jan 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan City recognises Tharu as official language". Online Khabar. Online Khabar. 7 Jan 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
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