Introduction
According to Article 7(1) of the Constitution of Nepal, the Nepali language written in Devanagari script is the official working language of Nepal. However, Article 7(2) allows provinces to determine one or more other national languages spoken by the majority as official working languages through provincial law.
Main Content
Based on the 2078 BS National Census, the Language Commission has recommended the following additional official languages for the seven provinces:
| Province | Additional Official Working Languages (Besides Nepali) |
|---|---|
| Koshi Province | Maithili (11.68%), Limbu (6.70%) |
| Madhesh Province | Maithili (41.73%), Bhojpuri (18.81%), Bajjika (18.44%) |
| Bagmati Province | Tamang (17.99%), Nepal Bhasa/Newari (11.82%) |
| Gandaki Province | Magar Dhut (9.60%), Gurung (8.44%) |
| Lumbini Province | Awadhi (16.70%), Tharu (13.59%), Bhojpuri (10.97%) |
| Karnali Province | Khas (6.34%), Magar Dhut (1.60%) |
| Sudurpashchim Province | Doteli (18.07%), Tharu (14.80%) |
- Bagmati Province issued the ‘Provincial Government Working Language Act’ in 2080 BS.
- Bagmati Province formally implemented Nepal Bhasa and Tamang as official languages on Baisakh 24, 2081 BS.
- The Language Commission recommends languages that have more than 1% speakers, prioritizing at least 2 languages or those with more than 6% speakers.
- On Bhadra 21, 2078 BS, the Language Commission recommended 11 languages for the seven provinces.
Key Takeaways
- National Language Day is celebrated in Nepal on Chaitra 29 every year.
- International Mother Language Day is observed globally on February 21.
- Bagmati Province celebrates Baisakh 24 as “Provincial Language Day”.
- Maithili is the most spoken additional language in Madhesh Province at 41.73%.
What to Avoid
- Do not confuse National Language Day (Chaitra 29) with International Mother Language Day (February 21).
- Do not assume all provinces have already formally implemented these languages; Bagmati is a specific example mentioned with a 2081 BS implementation date.
- Avoid miscalculating the speaker percentages; for example, Maithili in Koshi is 11.68%, not to be confused with its 41.73% in Madhesh.
FAQ
Q1: Which article of the Constitution allows provinces to choose additional official languages? Article 7(2) of the Constitution of Nepal provides this arrangement.
Q2: When did Bagmati Province formally implement Nepal Bhasa and Tamang? It was formally implemented on Baisakh 24, 2081 BS.
Q3: How many languages did the Language Commission recommend for the provinces on Bhadra 21, 2078 BS? The commission recommended 11 languages across the seven provinces.
Q4: What is the criteria for a language to be recommended as an official provincial language? The commission considers languages with more than 1% speakers, aiming for a minimum of 2 languages or those with more than 6% speaker density.
To boost your Loksewa preparation, download our app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.divas_regmi.loksewaapp