Tamil Nadu Timeline

LanguageMadras State (Congress era)

Official Languages Act passed

· New Delhi

Parliament passed the Official Languages Act to allow continued use of English alongside Hindi after 1965.

The Official Languages Act, 1963 received presidential assent on 10 May 1963. It provided that English may continue to be used along with Hindi for official purposes of the Union after 26 January 1965. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru promoted it to address fears in non-Hindi states, especially Madras State, about the imposition of Hindi. Opponents in Madras felt the wording did not give firm enough guarantees, and agitation continued.

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