Meitei language movement


The Meitei language movement, also known as the Manipuri language movement, is any linguistic movement undertaken by the literary, political and social associations as well as organisations, advocating for a change or development of Meitei language in various critical, discriminative and unfavorable circumstances and situations.
In the history of Meitei language, there were 4 notable linguistic movements that took place.

Scheduled language movement

With the introduction of 14 Indian languages in an officially recognized category named "scheduled languages" by the Government of India in the year 1950, in which Meitei language was not included, there was a language movement advocated by the literary, political and social associations as well as organizations, from Northeast India, spearheaded especially by the Manipuri Sahitya Parishad and the "All Manipur Students' Union", demanding the "scheduled language" status for Meitei language for more than four long decades.
In the year 1992, Meitei language was given the "scheduled language" status with the "71st Constitutional Amendment Act" of the Indian Constitution.
The day of the inclusion of Meitei language in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India and making it one of the languages with [official status in India|official languages of the Indian Republic] is annually commemorated as Meitei Language Day on August 20.

Classical language movement

With the introduction of an officially recognised linguistic elite category called "Classical Languages of India" by the Government of India, the social movement of Meitei language to achieve the classical language status is advocated by various literary, political, social associations and organisations as well as notable individual personalities of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Northeast India.

Associate official language movement

Due to the exemption of all the candidates who do not appear the exams in either of the three mandatory languages, Assamese, Bodo or Bengali, without provisions of any alternative language, in job recruitments conducted by the Assam Public Service Commission of the Government of Assam, the social movement of Meitei language to be included as an associate official language of the Government of Assam was advocated by several literary, political, social associations and organisations as well as by various leaders of Northeast India.