UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Hindi as Supreme Court language under study

Q1. Under Article 348(1) of the Constitution, which single language is prescribed as the one in which all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every High Court shall be conducted, unless Parliament by law otherwise provides?

  • A. Hindi in the Devanagari script
  • B. English
  • C. Both Hindi and English, on an equal footing
  • D. The official language of the State concerned

Q2. Article 348 of the Constitution, dealing with the language to be used in the Supreme Court, High Courts and for the authoritative texts of legislation, is composed of how many clauses?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five

Q3. The provision that declares Hindi in the Devanagari script to be the official language of the Union, while allowing English to continue for a period of fifteen years from the commencement of the Constitution, is contained in which Article?

  • A. Article 343
  • B. Article 344
  • C. Article 348
  • D. Article 351

Q4. The Department of Official Language, which is charged with implementing the constitutional provisions relating to the official language of the Union and the Official Languages Act, 1963, functions under which Union Ministry?

  • A. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • B. Ministry of Law and Justice
  • C. Ministry of Culture
  • D. Ministry of Education

Q5. As originally enacted, the provisions of Sections 6 and 7 of the Official Languages Act, 1963 were declared inapplicable to how many of the then States of the Union?

  • A. One
  • B. Two
  • C. Three
  • D. None; they applied to every State

Q6. The statutory provision that operationalises Article 348(2) by permitting Hindi or a State's official language, in addition to English, for the judgments, decrees and orders of a High Court - subject to an accompanying English translation - is found in which enactment?

  • A. Section 7 of the Official Languages Act, 1963
  • B. Section 3 of the Official Languages Act, 1963
  • C. Clause (3) of Article 348 of the Constitution
  • D. Section 137 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908

Q7. Under Article 348(1), the power to provide, by law, for a language other than English to be used in proceedings of the Supreme Court is vested in how many organs of the State?

  • A. One
  • B. Two
  • C. Three
  • D. Four

Q8. A private member's Bill (1976) had sought to allow Hindi, alongside English, in Supreme Court and High Court judgments. Under the existing text of Article 348, the power of Parliament to substitute another language for English in the Supreme Court flows from which clause?

  • A. Clause (1) of Article 348
  • B. Clause (2) of Article 348
  • C. Clause (3) of Article 348
  • D. Article 349

Q9. With reference to the authorisation of Hindi in the proceedings of certain High Courts, consider the following statements: 1. The Rajasthan High Court was authorised to use Hindi earlier than the High Courts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. 2. The authorisation of Hindi in the High Courts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar was made in consultation with the Chief Justice of India. 3. In these High Courts, final judgments, decrees and orders are also required to be delivered in Hindi rather than English. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Rajasthan High Court was authorised to use Hindi earlier than the High Courts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.
  2. The authorisation of Hindi in the High Courts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar was made in consultation with the Chief Justice of India.
  3. In these High Courts, final judgments, decrees and orders are also required to be delivered in Hindi rather than English.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. For a State to introduce Hindi in the proceedings of its High Court under Article 348(2), the Governor's authorisation must be preceded by the previous consent of which authority?

  • A. The President of India
  • B. The Chief Justice of India
  • C. The Chief Justice of that High Court
  • D. Both Houses of Parliament by resolution

Q11. In the context of language accessibility in the judiciary, the term 'SUVAS' most precisely refers to which one of the following?

  • A. Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software - an AI/ML-based tool that translates English judgments and orders into Indian regional languages
  • B. A statutory tribunal that adjudicates every dispute over the language of court proceedings
  • C. A scheme mandating the appointment of Hindi translators in each and every High Court registry
  • D. A constitutional body that reviews the progressive use of Hindi in the higher judiciary

Q12. The Committee of Parliament on Official Language, which examines and reports on the progressive use of Hindi for the official purposes of the Union, was constituted under which provision?

  • A. Section 4 of the Official Languages Act, 1963
  • B. Article 344(1) of the Constitution
  • C. Clause (3) of Article 343 of the Constitution
  • D. Section 3 of the Official Languages Act, 1963