Language in Nepal

Nepal's Constitution uses मातृभाषा for a mother tongue and राष्ट्रभाषा for a national language. All languages spoken in Nepal have national-language status under Article 6. Article 7 designates Nepali written in Devanagari as the official language of the federal government. A province may designate one or more additional languages spoken by a majority of its population for official use through provincial law. This legal framework does not exclude local language use by municipalities, schools or communities. The 2021 National Population and Housing Census recorded 124 mother tongues, including 13 languages newly recorded since 2011. Nepali was the first language for 44.86% of the population. Other widely reported languages included Maithili at 11.05%, Bhojpuri at 6.24%, Tharu at 5.88%, Tamang at 4.88%, Bajjika at 3.89%, Awadhi at 2.96%, Nepal Bhasa (Newar) at 2.96%, Magar Dhut at 2.78%, Doteli at 1.70%, Urdu at 1.42%, Yakthung/Limbu at 1.20% and Gurung at 1.12%. Language use is strongly regional. Maithili, Bhojpuri, Bajjika, Awadhi, Tharu and Urdu are especially present in the Tarai and Madhesh. Nepali, Tamang, Magar Dhut, Nepal Bhasa, Gurung, Yakthung/Limbu, Rai and Sherpa are prominent in different hill and mountain areas. Western and far-western varieties are also known by names such as Doteli, Baitadeli, Achhami, Bajhangi, Bajureli, Darchuleli and Dadeldhuri. National statistics do not by themselves establish whether a local variety should be classified as a separate language or a dialect. Nepal is multilingual, but access to a second language is uneven. The census reported that 48.08% of people did not speak a second language. Nepali was reported as a second language by 46.23%, representing 13,482,904 people. Maithili, Hindi, Bhojpuri, English, Tharu, Bajjika, Awadhi and Urdu also serve as practical bridge or education languages in particular places and situations. The figures describe reported language use; they do not show that every public office or service is available in each language. The diversity index differs sharply between areas. Koshi had the highest provincial index at 0.788, while Karnali had the lowest at 0.206. At district level, Solukhumbu reached 0.813 and Jajarkot 0.025. These figures show the concentration or spread of languages, not an automatic entitlement to a particular official language in a district or municipality. The federal government provides the constitutional framework. The Language Commission, called भाषा आयोग, researches language use, monitors the situation, recommends official-language arrangements, supports protection and promotion, and works on language data, translation and digitization. Provinces decide whether to add majority languages to official government use through legislation. Local governments and schools determine much of the practical language environment, including local communication and teaching arrangements. Article 31(5) and Article 32 protect language-related rights. People have the right to receive education in their mother tongue and to establish educational institutions for that purpose, and they have rights connected with language use, cultural participation and the protection and promotion of language, script, culture and heritage. These provisions do not create an automatic nationwide guarantee of a particular mother-tongue school, a translation at every public office or a government service in every language. Teachers, learning materials, examination language, administrative capacity and local decisions affect actual access. The Ministry of Education and its School Education Division handle national education policy and language-access matters in schools. The Language Commission has conducted feasibility and use studies involving languages such as Nepal Bhasa, Magar, Limbu and Doteli. The existence of a study or constitutional right does not prove that a nearby school currently teaches in that language. Nepali remains dominant in the federal public sphere, while other languages extend public participation through local media and cultural work. The Press Council Nepal has documented journalistic-code work in Nepal Bhasa and Maithili and has prepared translations for Doteli, Tharu and Bhojpuri. Availability and reach depend on the provider, location and medium. Language collections, scripts, literature, oral traditions, dictionaries, glossaries and language courses are also supported through institutional and cultural programs. There is no single nationwide tariff or deadline for language services. Public language rights generally do not carry a separate language-service fee, but actual costs and waiting times can depend on the province, municipality, school, office or media provider. A language's constitutional recognition, census presence or cultural importance therefore does not by itself establish reliable service availability. Language learning, general communication and media production belong to this landscape only where they affect administration, participation, culture or the practical distribution of languages.