A few months before his death, Mahatma Gandhi restated his view on the language question. Which of the following did he want the national language to be?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Hindustani that combines Hindi and Urdu and admits words from regional and foreign languages
Option (1) Hindi in the Devanagari script, with English kept for official work for some years — Incorrect. This was the Language Committee's compromise of 1949, made after Gandhi's death. Gandhi spoke of Hindustani, a blend of Hindi and Urdu.
Option (2) Hindi cleansed of words of Persian and Arabic origin, as the language of the nation — Incorrect. This was the move to Sanskritise Hindi. Gandhi rejected it, since he wanted neither Sanskritised Hindi nor Persianised Urdu.
Option (3) Hindustani that combines Hindi and Urdu and admits words from regional and foreign languages — Correct. Gandhi wanted Hindustani to be a happy combination of Hindi and Urdu. It should also take in words from regional and foreign languages that mix well.
Option (4) The regional language of each province, with Hindustani used for work between provinces — Incorrect. Provinces choosing a regional language for their own work was part of the 1949 formula. Gandhi's statement was about one national language.
NCERT (2026-27): “5. The Language of the Nation … |