5 More Languages, Including Marathi and Bengali, To Get "Classical" Status

In a major decision, the Union Cabinet  approved giving the status of 'classical language"'to five more languages - Marathi, Bengali, Pali, Prakrit and Assamese. With this cabinet decision, the number of languages that have the status will nearly double from six to 11.

The languages that had the tag earlier were Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia. 

Tamil was granted the status in 2004 and the last language to get it was Odia, in 2014.

Criteria for Become Classical Language

To be recognised as a classical language, the following criteria have to be met: 

High antiquity of the language's early texts/recorded history over a period of 1,500-2,000 years.

A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a heritage by generations of speakers.
Knowledge texts, especially prose texts in addition to poetry, epigraphical and Inscriptional evidence.

The classical languages and literature could be distinct from their current form or could be discontinuous with later forms of their offshoots.

Of the five new classical languages, while Assamese, Bengali and Marathi are widely spoken, Pali is spoken in some areas in India as well as Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. It is the language of Buddha's sermons and is also taught in some universities, including those in Allahabad and Patna.