PRESIDENT OF INDIA INAUGURATES THE CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE OL CHIKI SCRIPT

I have sufficient facts. Writing the note.

1. At a Glance

Ol Chiki is the indigenous script of the Santhali language, invented in 1925 by Pandit Raghunath Murmu; 2026 marks its centenary [S1][S2].
Centenary celebrations inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on 16 February 2026, organised by the Ministry of Culture [S1].
Relevant for UPSC under tribal culture, scheduled languages, and constitutional safeguards for linguistic minorities (Art. 29, 30, 350A/B; Eighth Schedule) [S2][S3].

2. Why in the News

President of India inaugurated the Centenary Celebration of the Ol Chiki script on 16 Feb 2026 in New Delhi [S1].
Follows the release of the Constitution of India translated into Santhali (in Ol Chiki) by the President, published by the Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice — first such edition [S3][S4].

3. Background & Evolution

Pre-1925: Santhali was written using Roman, Devanagari, Odia and Bengali scripts; none captured Santhali phonetics accurately [S1].
1925: Pandit Raghunath Murmu invented Ol Chiki (30 letters) for the Santhali language [S1][S2].
2003: Santhali added to the Eighth Schedule via the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act (along with Bodo, Dogri, Maithili) [S2].
2025: Constitution of India officially published in Santhali (Ol Chiki) by Legislative Department [S3].
16 Feb 2026: Centenary inaugurated by President [S1].

4. Core Static Facts

Script: Ol Chiki — 30 letters; phonetic, designed for Santhali [S2].
Inventor: Pandit Raghunath Murmu (1925) [S1].
Language family: Santhali — Austroasiatic (Munda branch) (general knowledge; corroborated by Eighth Schedule listing) [S2].
Constitutional status: Santhali in Eighth Schedule since 92nd Amendment, 2003 [S2].
Organising Ministry (centenary): Ministry of Culture, Government of India [S1].
Constitution in Santhali: Released by President; publisher Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice [S3].
Santal diaspora cited: communities in Nepal, Bhutan and Mauritius (used local scripts before Ol Chiki) [S1].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Social / Tribal - Santals are among India's largest Scheduled Tribes, concentrated in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Assam [S2]. - Script empowers a previously oral language to enter formal education, publishing, and administration [S2].

Legal / Constitutional - Eighth Schedule inclusion (2003) obligates the Union to develop the language; links to Article 344 (Official Languages Commission) and Article 351 (development) [S2]. - Translation of the Constitution operationalises Article 348 flexibility and access-to-justice in mother tongue [S3].

Cultural / Historical - Codification of script transformed Santhali from oral to literary tradition — enabled standardisation of grammar, vocabulary [S2]. - Pre-script multi-script usage diluted phonetic authenticity; Ol Chiki addressed this [S1].

Governance / Administrative - Ministry of Culture leading commemoration; Legislative Department producing official Santhali Constitution — example of Union-level promotion of tribal languages [S1][S3]. - Aligns with NEP 2020 emphasis on mother-tongue-based instruction (policy context).

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

16 Feb 2026: President Murmu inaugurates Ol Chiki centenary, New Delhi [S1].
2025: First-ever Santhali (Ol Chiki) edition of the Constitution released by the President [S3][S4].
Earlier PIB-listed event: President graced Ol Chiki Centenary at Jamshedpur alongside the 22nd Parsi Maha [S5].

7. Prelims Hooks

Ol Chiki script invented in 1925 by Pandit Raghunath Murmu [S1].
Script has 30 letters, designed for Santhali [S2].
Santhali included in the Eighth Schedule by the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003 [S2].
Other languages added by the 92nd Amendment: Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali (mnemonic: BDMS) [S2].
Centenary organised by the Ministry of Culture (not Tribal Affairs) [S1].
Constitution in Santhali released by Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice [S3].
Santhali belongs to the Austroasiatic (Munda) family — distinct from Indo-Aryan/Dravidian neighbours [S2].
Before 1925, Santhali written in Roman, Devanagari, Odia, Bengali scripts [S1].
Santal diaspora exists in Nepal, Bhutan, Mauritius [S1].
Centenary inaugural date: 16 February 2026, New Delhi [S1].
Eighth Schedule total languages: 22 (post-2003 amendment) [S2].

8. Mains Relevance

GS-I: Indian Culture — salient aspects of literature; tribal communities.
GS-II: Constitution — Eighth Schedule, safeguards for linguistic minorities (Art. 29, 350A/B); welfare schemes for STs.
Possible question stems:
"Discuss the role of indigenous scripts like Ol Chiki in preserving tribal identity and the constitutional mechanisms supporting them."
"Examine the rationale and impact of the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003."
"Translation of the Constitution into scheduled tribal languages strengthens participatory democracy. Comment."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

Eighth Schedule languages — 22 listed; demands for inclusion (Tulu, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani).
92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003 — added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali.
PVTGs & Scheduled Tribes — Santals are India's third-largest ST group.
Articles 29, 30, 347, 350A, 350B — linguistic minority safeguards.
Article 244 & Fifth Schedule — administration of tribal areas (relevant to Santal regions).
NEP 2020 — mother-tongue medium of instruction.
PM-JANMAN / PM-PVTG Mission — tribal welfare initiatives.
Hul Diwas (Santhal rebellion, 1855) — Santal historical resistance.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

Confusing Ol Chiki (script) with Santhali (language) — script is 1925; language inclusion is 2003.
Wrong amendment number: it is the 92nd (not 71st, which added Konkani/Manipuri/Nepali in 1992).
Wrong ministry: centenary by Ministry of Culture, not Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Misclassifying Santhali as Indo-Aryan — it is Austroasiatic (Munda).
Wrong inventor name spelling — Pandit Raghunath Murmu, not Rajnath.

11. Sources

[S1] PRESIDENT OF INDIA INAUGURATES THE CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE OL CHIKI SCRIPT — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2228822 — (tier 1)
[S2] Ol Chiki Script: 100 Years of Linguistic Empowerment (PIB backgrounder PDF, 16 Feb 2026) — https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2026/feb/doc2026216792601.pdf — (tier 1)
[S3] Constitution of India translated into Santhali language… released by the President — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2208484 — (tier 1)
[S4] PRESIDENT OF INDIA RELEASES THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA IN THE SANTHALI LANGUAGE — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2208453 — (tier 1)
[S5] President graces 22nd Parsi Maha and Centenary Celebrations of Ol Chiki at Jamshedpur — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2209442 — (tier 1)