Home The Constitution Part XVII Article 350B

Art. 350B Part XVII: Official Language

Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities

Exact text — Constitution of India

(1) There shall be a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities to be appointed by the President.

(2) It shall be the duty of the Special Officer to investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided for linguistic minorities under this Constitution and report to the President upon those matters at such intervals as the President may direct, and the President shall cause all such reports to be laid before each House of Parliament, and sent to the Governments of the States concerned. [Added by the 7th Amendment, 1956]

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

Also added in 1956, this Article creates a dedicated, Presidentially-appointed watchdog specifically for linguistic minority safeguards across the Constitution — investigating how well these protections are actually being honoured and reporting both to the President and, through them, to Parliament and the relevant state governments.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is the institutional accountability mechanism behind Articles like 29, 30, 347, and 350A — the Special Officer's reports create a documented, periodic check on whether linguistic minority protections are being genuinely implemented across India, not just existing on paper.

Read alongside this one

Art. 350a — Facilities for Instruction in the Mother Tongue Art. 29 — Protection of Interests of Minorities

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 350B

Is this the same office as the National Commission for Minorities?

No — the Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities is a distinct constitutional office specifically focused on LANGUAGE-related minority safeguards, separate from the broader National Commission for Minorities (a statutory body covering religious minorities more generally).

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The text above reproduces Article 350B of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.