HistoryModern India: Framing the Constitution

From the end of the nineteenth century, Hindi and Urdu started growin…

From the end of the nineteenth century, Hindi and Urdu started growing apart as communal conflicts deepened. Which change took place in Urdu during this time?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 1

The correct answer is Option (1) → It was being increasingly Persianised

Option (1) It was being increasingly Persianised — Correct. As the two languages grew apart, Urdu was being increasingly Persianised.

Option (2) It was being Sanskritised by dropping Persian words — Incorrect. This was the change in Hindi. There was a move to Sanskritise Hindi, purging it of words of Persian and Arabic origin.

Option (3) It freely took in words from the regional languages — Incorrect. Taking in words from regional languages was Gandhi's hope for Hindustani, stated in 1947.

Option (4) It took in words from very many different sources — Incorrect. Words from very many sources describe Hindustani as a composite language, before Hindi and Urdu drifted apart.

NCERT (2026-27): “5. The Language of the Nation …
From the end of the nineteenth century, however, Hindustani as a language had been gradually changing. As communal conflicts deepened, Hindi and Urdu also started growing apart. On the one hand, there was a move to Sanskritise Hindi, purging it of all words of Persian and Arabic origin. On the other hand, Urdu was being increasingly Persianised. As a consequence, language became associated with the politics of religious identities. Mahatma Gandhi, however, retained his faith in the composite character of Hindustani.”