Academicians and researchers across the country have hailed the Union Cabinet’s recent decision to confer the status of classical languages on five Indian languages. The Cabinet on Thursday included Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali, and Prakrit in the list of classical languages. This status will help the languages receive several benefits from the government in promoting their study and preservation.

Talking to Akashvani News, Calcutta University’s Buddhist Studies Department’s Professor Dr. Ujjawal Kumar said these languages have cultural heritage, and this decision will help in the promotion of the languages. He added that it will generate more employment opportunities for literature students. Member Secretary of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Dr. Sachidanand Joshi, said that the inclusion of these languages has historic significance. He added that the country’s ancient literature is available in these languages, and inclusion as classical languages will help in studies and research.