Article 343

Hindi in Devanagari Script and the Continued Official Use of English

Official heading: “Official language of the Union”

Check this article against the official editionAwaiting human legal review

Source edition: The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
Source locator: Part XVII, Article 343, printed pages 203–204
Last human source-link check: Not yet checked
Last human legal review: Not yet reviewed

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1. In One Sentence

Declares Hindi in Devanagari script with international numerals as the official language of the Union, while providing for the continued use of English as authorized by Parliament.

2. What It Means in Everyday Language

Article 343 establishes the linguistic framework for the Union of India, adopting the historic Munshi-Ayyangar compromise negotiated in the Constituent Assembly.

Clause (1) declares that the official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script, and the form of numerals to be used for Union purposes shall be the international form of Indian numerals.

Clause (2) permitted the continued use of the English language for all official Union purposes for an initial period of fifteen years from the commencement of the Constitution.

Clause (3) empowered Parliament to provide by law for the continued use of English beyond fifteen years. Under this authority, Parliament enacted the Official Languages Act, 1963, ensuring the indefinite bilingual use of Hindi and English in central governance.

3. Practical Illustrative Example

Everyday Scenario:

A central government tax notice is issued in bilingual format featuring both English and Hindi versions.

Core takeaway: Article 343, read with the Official Languages Act enacted under clause (3), authorizes the concurrent official use of English alongside Hindi.

Illustrative Notice: The constitutional adoption of Hindi as the Union’s official language does not make it India’s "national language"; India has no single national language designated in the Constitution.

4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions

Article 343 establishes the official administrative language of the Union Government.

Union official language: Declares Hindi in Devanagari script as the primary official language for Union administration.
International numerals: Mandates the international form of Indian numerals (1, 2, 3...) rather than Hindi numerals for official Union purposes.
Parliamentary continuity: Parliament retains plenary authority under clause (3) to authorize the continued use of the English language indefinitely.

5. Operative Constitutional Text

(1) The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script. The form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the Union shall be the international form of Indian numerals. (2) Notwithstanding anything in clause (1), for a period of fifteen years from the commencement of this Constitution, the English language shall continue to be used for all the official purposes of the Union for which it was being used immediately before such commencement: Provided that the President may, during the said period, by order authorise the use of the Hindi language in addition to the English language and of the Devanagari form of numerals in addition to the international form of Indian numerals for any of the official purposes of the Union. (3) Notwithstanding anything in this article, Parliament may by law provide for the use, after the said period of fifteen years, of— (a) the English language, or (b) the Devanagari form of numerals, for such purposes as may be specified in the law.

Transcription for reference; compare with the linked official editionNot yet verified by a human legal reviewer

6. Sources & Historical Assembly Deliberations

Assembly quotations are withheld until wording, dates, and attribution have been checked against the primary record.

Sources & Citation Metadata

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Constitutional TextThe Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)Cited PDF page
Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part XVII, Article 343, printed pages 203–204 • Human source-link check pending
Primary PDF accessed and transcribed with AI assistance on 14 October 2026. Formatting and amendment annotation markers are omitted; operative wording is retained. This is not human legal review. Later amendments and commencement notifications have not been comprehensively checked.

Human legal review is pending; compare the text with the cited editionNon-partisan educational resource