The Official Languages Act, 1963

(1) This Act may be called the Official Languages Act, 1963. (2) Section 3 shall come into force on the 26th day of January, 1965 and the remaining provisions ofthis Act shall come into force on such date1as the Central Government may, by notification in the OfficialGazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Ac

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, (a) "appointed day", in relation to section 3, means the 26th day of January, 1965 and in relationto any other provision of this Act, means the day on which that provision comes into force; (b) "Hindi" means Hindi in Devanagari Script.

1[3. Continuance of English language for official purposes of the Union and for use inParliament. (1) Notwithstanding the expiration of the period of fifteen years from the commencementof the Constitution, the English language may, as from the appointed day, continue to be used, in additionto Hindi, (a) for all the official purposes of the Union for which it was being used immediately before thatday; and (b) for the transaction of business in Parliament: Provided that the English language shall be used for purposes of communication between the Unionand a State which has not adopted Hindi as its official language: Provided further that where Hindi is used for purposes of communication between one State whichhas adopted Hindi as its official language and another State which has not adopted Hindi as its officiallanguage, such communication in Hindi shall be accompanied by a translation of the same in the Englishlanguage: Provided also that nothing in this sub-section shall be construed as preventing a State which has notadopted Hindi as its official language from using Hindi for purposes of communication with the Union orwith a State which has adopted Hindi as its official language, or by agreement with any other State, and insuch a case, it shall not be obligatory to use the English language for purposes of communication withthat State. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where Hindi or the English language isused for purposes of communication (i) between one Ministry or Department or office of the Central Government and another; (ii) between one Ministry or Department or office of the Central Government and any corporationor company owned or controlled by the Central Government or any office thereof; (iii) between any corporation or company owned or controlled by the Central Government or anyoffice thereof and another, a translation of such communication in the English language or, as the case may be, in Hindi shall also beprovided till such date as the staff of the concerned Ministry, Department, office or corporation orcompany aforesaid have acquired a working knowledge of Hindi. (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), both Hindi and the English language shallbe used for (i) resolutions, general orders, rules, notifications, administrative or other reports or presscommuniques issued or made by the Central Government or by a Ministry, Department or officethereof or by a corporation or company owned or controlled by the Central Government or by anyoffice of such corporation or company; (ii) administrative and other reports and official papers laid before a House or the Houses ofParliament; (iii) contracts and agreements executed, and licences, permits, notices and forms of tender issued,by or on behalf of the Central Government or any Ministry, Department or office thereof or by acorporation or company owned or controlled by the Central Government or by any office of suchcorporation or company. (4) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3), theCentral Government may, by rules made under section 8, provide for the language or languages to beused for the official purpose of the Union, including the working of any Ministry, Department, section oroffice, and in making such rules, due consideration shall be given to the quick and efficient disposal of theofficial business and the interests of the general public and in particular, the rules so made shall ensurethat persons serving in connection with the affairs of the Union and having proficiency either in Hindi orin the English language may function effectively and that they are not placed at a disadvantage on theground that they do not have proficiency in both the languages. (5) The provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (1), and the provisions of sub-section (2),sub-section (3) and sub-section (4) shall remain in force until resolutions for the discontinuance of the useof the English language for the purposes mentioned therein have been passed by the Legislatures of all theStates which have not adopted Hindi as their official language and until after considering the resolutionsaforesaid, a resolution for such discontinuance has been passed by each House of Parliament.]

(1) After the expiration of ten years from the date on whichsection 3 comes into force, there shall be constituted a Committee on Official Language, on a resolutionto that effect being moved in either House of Parliament with the previous sanction of the President andpassed by both Houses. (2) The Committee shall consist of thirty members of whom twenty shall be members of the House ofthe People and ten shall be members of the Council of States, to be elected respectively by the membersof the House of the People and the members of the Council of States in accordance with the system ofproportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. (3) It shall be the duty of the Committee to review the progress made in the use of Hindi for theofficial purposes of the Union and submit a report to the President making recommendations thereon andthe President shall cause the report to be laid before each House of Parliament, and sent to all the StateGovernments. (4) The President may, after consideration of the report referred to in sub-section (3), and the views, ifany, expressed by the State Governments thereon, issue directions in accordance with the whole or anypart of that report: 1[Provided that the directions so issued shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of section 3.]

(1) A translation in Hindi published underthe authority of the President in the Official Gazette on and after the appointed day, (a) of any Central Act or of any Ordinance promulgated by the President, or (b) of any order, rule, regulation or bye-law issued under the Constitution or under any CentralAct, shall be deemed to be the authoritative text thereof in Hindi. (2) As from the appointed day, the authoritative text in the English language of all Bills to beintroduced or amendments thereto to be moved in either House of Parliament shall be accompanied by atranslation of the same in Hindi authorised in such manner as may be prescribed by rules made under thisAct.