Official Language of Jammu and Kashmir
🔹 1. Background
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Before the abrogation of Article 370 (5 August 2019), Urdu was the sole official language of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir.
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Post Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, the region became a Union Territory (UT).
🔹 2. The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020
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Passed by Parliament of India in September 2020.
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Came into effect after Presidential assent on 26 September 2020.
🔹 3. Official Languages as per the 2020 Act
The following 5 languages were made official languages of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir:
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Urdu
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Kashmiri
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Dogri
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Hindi
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English
🔹 4. Important Points
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Urdu continues to hold historical and administrative significance.
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Kashmiri and Dogri were added to promote local languages.
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Hindi and English are widely used in Indian administration and legal communication.
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Article 345 of the Constitution allows states/UTs to adopt any language in use in that state as official language.
🔹 5. Purpose of the Act
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To reflect linguistic diversity.
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To include more native speakers in governance and public service.
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To promote regional identities and inclusiveness.
📝 MCQs: Official Language of Jammu & Kashmir
Q1. What was the official language of Jammu and Kashmir before 2019?
a) Kashmiri
b) Urdu
c) Dogri
d) Hindi
✅ Answer: b) Urdu
Q2. How many languages are official in J&K as per the Official Languages Act, 2020?
a) 3
b) 4
c) 5
d) 2
✅ Answer: c) 5
Q3. Which of the following is not an official language of Jammu and Kashmir (post-2020)?
a) Urdu
b) Kashmiri
c) Punjabi
d) Hindi
✅ Answer: c) Punjabi
Q4. When was the J&K Official Languages Act passed by the Indian Parliament?
a) August 2019
b) September 2020
c) January 2021
d) October 2019
✅ Answer: b) September 2020
Q5. Which article of the Indian Constitution allows a State/UT to adopt its own official language?
a) Article 344
b) Article 346
c) Article 345
d) Article 352
✅ Answer: c) Article 345
Q6. Which two regional languages were added as official in the J&K UT under the 2020 Act?
a) Punjabi & Dogri
b) Kashmiri & Dogri
c) Urdu & Kashmiri
d) Hindi & Kashmiri
✅ Answer: b) Kashmiri & Dogri
Q7. Who gives assent to the Official Languages Act of a Union Territory?
a) Chief Minister
b) Governor
c) President of India
d) Prime Minister
✅ Answer: c) President of India
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