Kerala Government Pushes Malayalam as Sole Language of Administration

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state government is determined to make Malayalam the sole language of administration, stressing that the mother tongue should play a central role in governance, education, and the judiciary. Speaking at the Malayalam Language Day and Official Language Week celebrations, he highlighted the state’s efforts to strengthen the use of Malayalam across official and administrative functions.

The Chief Minister recalled that initiatives to make Malayalam the administrative language began with the first Kerala government under E.M.S. Namboodiripad. In 1957, a committee led by K.C. Achutha Menon studied its implementation, and the Kerala Official Language Act was passed in 1969. A 2015 notification mandated Malayalam as the administrative language in all departments and institutions, allowing English and minority languages only where legally required. Although a directive to strictly enforce this came into effect from May 1, 2017, some departments still fail to comply adequately. Pinarayi Vijayan emphasized that Malayalam should be adopted through conviction, not compulsion.

To address inconsistencies in handwriting and print and lack of uniform writing style, the government formed the Language Guideline Expert Committee in 2021, chaired by V.P. Joy, IAS. Based on its report, the Department of Official Language published The Writing System of Malayalam and developed ten new typefaces. The Malayalam Language (Promotion and Enrichment) Bill of 2015 was rejected by the President in 2025, but the new Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly on October 10, will become law once it receives the Governor’s assent.

As part of the celebrations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan honoured Malayalam teacher K.K. Sarasamma and writer M.M. Basheer for their decades-long contributions to the language. Sarasamma, a native of Elanji near Muvattupuzha and currently residing in Kochi, has trained generations of children and adults in Aksharaslokam, Kavyakeli, and Kavyalapanam. She also runs a WhatsApp group and YouTube channel promoting Malayalam poetry and literary discussion, widely appreciated by literature enthusiasts across age groups.

Dr. M.M. Basheer, a noted linguist, critic, and writer, has authored over 50 books, including poetry, short stories, and novels. His significant critical studies include Kumaaranaasaante Rachanaasilppam and Aadhyakalakadhakalum Aadhya Niroopanavum. He received the Puthezhath Raman Menon Award in 1989.

Emphasizing the cultural significance of the mother tongue, Pinarayi Vijayan said Malayalam reflects the historical experience, identity, and consciousness of its people and is crucial for developing communication skills, learning capacity, and social awareness from childhood.