Constitution of India Released in Santhali (Ol Chiki Script)

Syllabus: Constitution and Constitutional Values

President's Secretariat

Why in news?

The official release of the Constitution of India in the Santhali language marks a major step towards linguistic inclusion and constitutional awareness among tribal communities.

⚛️Static Concepts

Eighth Schedule LanguagesConstitutional AmendmentsCultural Rights under Article 29

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Prelims-Oriented Points

Santhali language is written in Ol Chiki script.
Santhali was included in the Eighth Schedule by the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003.
Santhali is spoken largely in Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar.
2025 marks the centenary year of the Ol Chiki script.
The Constitution is now available in multiple regional languages for wider access.

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Examiner's Trap: Inclusion of Santhali in the Eighth Schedule was NOT through the 100th Amendment; it was done via the 92nd Amendment Act, 2003.

Quick Data Points

92nd Constitutional Amendment Act: 2003

Centenary of Ol Chiki Script: 2025

Mains Value Addition

GS-2: Constitutional values, inclusion and governance.

Deepening Constitutional Morality: Access to the Constitution in mother tongue strengthens democratic participation.
Tribal Inclusion: Recognizes linguistic and cultural rights of Scheduled Tribes.
Governance Outreach: Reduces alienation by making constitutional texts accessible at the grassroots.

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Strategy Deep Dive