Odia Pride on Paper? Questions Mount Over Lingering English Use in Odisha Govt Offices

More than a year and a half after the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in Odisha, promises to enforce the use of Odia in government offices remain largely unfulfilled. Despite Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s explicit directive after his first cabinet meeting that all official work, letters, and notifications be conducted solely in Odia, most departments continue to use English for communications, raising questions about bureaucratic commitment to the state language.

Why the Aversion to Odia?
Commentator K. Babbage highlighted that the majority of government staff are native Odia’s with Odia-school training, yet a significant resistance to writing in Odia persists. Critics wonder whether an underlying inferiority complex towards the mother tongue or institutional habits is responsible for the reluctance, suggesting that bureaucrats themselves may be obstructing the evolution of Odia as the official medium of administration.

Government Moves to Enforce Compliance
In response to the persistent non-compliance, the Department of General Administration has issued a fresh letter to all departments, collectors, and institutions, mandating strict use of Odia in official work. The notice warns that failure to comply will result in reminders followed by show-cause notices, aiming to finally implement the Odisha Official Language Act effectively.

Reviving Language Pride Debates
The renewed directive has reignited discussions about language pride in Odisha, a state formed along linguistic lines in 1936. Successive governments have struggled to establish Odia as the true medium of administration despite multiple pledges and legislative amendments.

Towards Policy-Practice Convergence
Advocates for Odia language, including the Odishi community, view the new directive as a step towards bridging policy with practice, especially to improve access to government services in rural areas. However, critics remain skeptical, questioning whether the long-standing directive will finally translate into real, enforceable change in daily administrative practices.