What does Tulu’s new official language status mean?

Raviprasad Kamila

The story so far:

Karnataka government, in its Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru on September 18, decided to accord the additional official (administrative) language status to Tulu, which is commonly spoken in Dakshina Kannada district, southern parts of Udupi district in Karnataka, and northern parts of Kasaragod district in Keralam. While making the announcement, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the status will apply to administrative matters in the two districts. The government will release ₹82 lakh annually for translation, training and language usage purposes.

How will the decision help people?

B. Shivarma Shetty, former Project Director, Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Kannada, Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru, said that elected representatives can speak in Tulu at gram sabhas of gram panchayats, taluk panchayats, and zilla panchayats meetings. It also applies to urban local body meetings such as city corporation council, city municipal council and town municipal council meetings. The government circulars and orders issued in the two districts should also contain Tulu. People can submit applications to government departments in Tulu. This will make officials who do not know Tulu depend on translations, translators, or learn the basics of Tulu.

When did the government move to grant official status to Tulu begin?

When the BJP government was in power, the then Minister for Kannada and Culture, V. Sunil Kumar, on January 30, 2023, formed a committee headed by M. Mohan Alva, Chairman, Alva’s Education Foundation, Moodbidri, Dakshina Kannada, to study and submit a report on declaring Tulu as the second official language of Karnataka.

The committee was asked to submit its report to the government in a week. According to Mr. Kumar, the BJP government could not grant official language status to Tulu because the model code of conduct for the 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka was declared on March 29, 2023, and the BJP lost power in the elections.

Later, the Congress government took over in Karnataka. It appointed a committee led by K. M. Gayatri, Director of Kannada and Culture, to study the procedures adopted by the Andhra Pradesh government to grant additional language status to Urdu.

This committee visited Andhra Pradesh on January 19 and 20, 2026 and studied how Urdu is being used in administration. The committee submitted its report to the Karnataka government on March 4, against the backdrop of the move to declare Tulu as the additional official language.

Is the Cabinet’s decision enough?

Article 345 of the Constitution allows each State legislature to choose one or more regional languages or Hindi as the official language for its official work. It says: “Subject to the provisions of articles 346 and 347, the Legislature of a State may by law adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi as the language or languages to be used for all or any of the official purposes of that State.”

Section 2 of the Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963 states that Kannada is the official language.

Some law graduates say that if Karnataka is to implement the Cabinet’s decision, it will have to amend the Karnataka Official Language Act to incorporate Tulu as an additional administrative language in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. Once the amendment is approved by the appropriate authority, the Governor, the government will issue a notification, following which the Cabinet’s decision will come into force. The governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana followed the same procedure – amending their respective language laws – to declare Urdu as the second official language of their States.

How is this language introduced in academics?

Tulu is taught as the third optional language in schools, from Class 6 to Class 10, in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. It was first introduced for Class 6 in the 2010-11 academic year. It is not being taught as a subject in pre-university and degree classes. Mangalore University introduced a two-year Tulu postgraduation programme in its erstwhile University Evening College (now closed down) in 2018-19. The programme was wound up from the academic year 2024-25, citing a lack of students in double digits who applied to join the programme.

Is it an independent language?

The Registrar General and Census Commissioner has recognised Tulu as an independent language of India ever since the department was established, and the Census Report gives statistics about Tulu speakers as a separate linguistic community.

It is treated as an important non-scheduled language of India. But it is not included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Important Legal Words – Meaning & Example

1) Official Language

Meaning: A language that is legally accepted for use in government work and official communication.
Example: Kannada is the official language of Karnataka.

2) Additional Official Language

Meaning: A language that is given official use along with the main official language in a particular area or for specific purposes.
Example: Tulu has been granted the status of an additional official language in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.

3) Administrative Language

Meaning: A language used in government offices, public administration, and official dealings.
Example: After this decision, Tulu may be used as an administrative language in district-level offices.

4) Accord

Meaning: To officially give, grant, or confer something.
Example: The Karnataka government accorded official language status to Tulu.

5) Cabinet

Meaning: A group of top ministers who take major government decisions.
Example: The Cabinet approved the proposal regarding Tulu language status.

6) Cabinet Decision

Meaning: A formal decision taken by the Council of Ministers.
Example: The Cabinet decision is an important step, but legal changes may still be required.

7) Committee

Meaning: A group of persons appointed to study an issue and give recommendations.
Example: The government formed a committee to examine the demand for Tulu’s official status.

8) Report

Meaning: A formal written document submitted after study or inquiry.
Example: The committee submitted its report to the Karnataka government.

9) Declare

Meaning: To officially announce or proclaim something.
Example: The government may declare Tulu as an additional official language.

10) Status

Meaning: A recognized legal or official position.
Example: Official language status gives Tulu greater recognition in governance.

11) Translation

Meaning: Converting text or speech from one language into another.
Example: The government may spend funds on translation of documents into Tulu.

12) Application

Meaning: A formal written request submitted to an authority.
Example: People may be allowed to submit applications in Tulu.

13) Circular

Meaning: An official notice or instruction issued by a government department.
Example: Government circulars in the two districts may also include Tulu.

14) Order

Meaning: An official direction issued by an authority.
Example: Administrative orders may be translated into Tulu for local use.

15) Gram Sabha

Meaning: A village assembly consisting of all registered voters of the village.
Example: Elected representatives may speak in Tulu during Gram Sabha meetings.

16) Gram Panchayat

Meaning: The local self-government body at the village level.
Example: Tulu may now be used in Gram Panchayat proceedings.

17) Urban Local Body

Meaning: A local government institution in urban areas, such as a municipality or city council.
Example: Urban local body meetings in the region may permit the use of Tulu.

18) Constitution

Meaning: The supreme law of the country.
Example: The Constitution provides the legal framework for deciding official languages.

19) Article 345

Meaning: A provision of the Constitution that allows a State Legislature to adopt one or more languages for official purposes of the State.
Example: Article 345 allows a State to choose regional languages for official use.

20) State Legislature

Meaning: The law-making body of a State.
Example: The State Legislature may need to pass a law to implement Tulu’s new status.

21) Provision

Meaning: A clause or rule contained in a law or legal document.
Example: This issue is governed by provisions of the Constitution.

22) Official Purposes

Meaning: Government work or functions carried out in an official capacity.
Example: Tulu may be used for official purposes in the concerned districts.

23) Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963

Meaning: A State law that deals with the official language of Karnataka.
Example: The Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963 currently recognizes Kannada as the official language.

24) Section 2

Meaning: A specific part or clause of an Act.
Example: Section 2 of the Karnataka Official Language Act states that Kannada is the official language.

25) Amend / Amendment

Meaning: To make an official change in a law; the change itself is called an amendment.
Example: The Act may need an amendment to include Tulu as an additional official language.

26) Implement

Meaning: To put a decision or law into actual effect.
Example: The government must follow legal procedure to implement the Cabinet decision.

27) Appropriate Authority

Meaning: The legally competent authority empowered to approve or act on a matter.
Example: The amendment must be approved by the appropriate authority.

28) Governor

Meaning: The constitutional head of a State.
Example: The Governor’s approval may be required before the amended law takes effect.

29) Notification

Meaning: An official announcement published by the government to give legal effect to a decision.
Example: After approval, the government will issue a notification regarding Tulu’s status.

30) Come into Force

Meaning: To become legally effective or operative.
Example: The decision will come into force after the necessary legal steps are completed.

31) Procedure

Meaning: The official process or method required by law or rules.
Example: The same procedure was followed in other States for recognizing another official language.

32) Recognise / Recognition

Meaning: To officially accept or acknowledge something.
Example: Tulu has been recognised as an independent language by the Census authorities.

33) Independent Language

Meaning: A language officially treated as separate and distinct, not merely a dialect of another language.
Example: Tulu is recognised as an independent language of India.

34) Registrar General and Census Commissioner

Meaning: A statutory authority dealing with census and population-related classification in India.
Example: The Registrar General and Census Commissioner has recognised Tulu separately.

35) Linguistic Community

Meaning: A group of people connected by a common language.
Example: Tulu speakers form a distinct linguistic community.

36) Non-Scheduled Language

Meaning: A language that is not included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Example: Tulu is considered an important non-scheduled language.

37) Eighth Schedule

Meaning: A part of the Constitution listing the officially recognised scheduled languages of India.
Example: Tulu is not yet included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

38) Official Use

Meaning: Use in government work, records, notices, and administrative communication.
Example: The new status may increase the official use of Tulu in the two districts.

39) Local Self-Government

Meaning: Governance by elected bodies at the village, town, or city level.
Example: The decision may strengthen the use of Tulu in local self-government institutions.

40) Administrative Matters

Meaning: Government-related day-to-day official work and decisions.
Example: The Chief Minister said Tulu would apply to administrative matters in the two districts.

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