Shillong: The Government of Meghalaya has reaffirmed its multilingual governance framework through the Meghalaya Official Languages Ordinance, 2026, retaining Khasi and Garo as associate official languages alongside English.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday said that this received the approval of the state cabinet.
The ordinance builds upon the provisions of the earlier Meghalaya State Language Act, 2005, under which English remains the primary official language for statewide administration, legislation, and inter-district communication.
Khasi continues to be used as an associate official language in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills regions, while Garo serves a similar role in the Garo Hills. These languages are permitted for use in district-level offices, sub-divisions, and block-level administration to ensure governance remains accessible to local populations.
Despite their official recognition at the state level, Khasi and Garo are yet to be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, a demand that continues to be raised by state leaders and civil society groups.
The Meghalaya Official Languages Ordinance, 2026 is seen as a continuation of the state’s commitment to balancing administrative efficiency with linguistic diversity.