How many languages are officially recognised in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India as scheduled languages of the country?

Introduction / Context:
The Constitution of India recognises a specific set of languages as scheduled languages in its Eighth Schedule. These languages receive special recognition and are used in various official and cultural contexts. Over time, the number of scheduled languages has increased through constitutional amendments. This question checks whether the learner knows the current total number of languages listed in the Eighth Schedule, a basic fact in Indian polity and general knowledge.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution lists scheduled languages. - The number of languages in this schedule has changed over time, generally increasing. - Options include four possible totals: 17, 19, 22 and 10. - The question is about the present recognised count for exam purposes.

Concept / Approach:
At the time of commencement, the Constitution listed 14 languages in the Eighth Schedule. Later, several constitutional amendments added more languages. Key amendments such as the 71st and 92nd Amendments expanded the list. Today, the widely accepted and examined figure for scheduled languages in the Eighth Schedule is 22. Thus, the approach is to remember this final total after all additions and choose the corresponding option.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Remember that originally there were 14 languages in the Eighth Schedule. Step 2: Over various years, languages such as Sindhi, Konkani, Manipuri, Nepali, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili and Dogri were added. Step 3: After these additions, the total count increased gradually from 14 to 15, then to 18 and later further. Step 4: The final recognised number of scheduled languages as per recent constitutional status is 22. Step 5: Among the options 17, 19, 22 and 10, the correct current total is therefore 22.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, one can look at standard polity reference tables that list all scheduled languages, which usually mention that there are 22 such languages in the Eighth Schedule. Many exam preparation books emphasise this number as a key fact, often in comparison with the original figure of 14. Options like 17 or 19 represent intermediate counts before the most recent additions, while 10 is too low and does not match any official stage. This makes 22 the only option consistent with up to date constitutional information.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
17: This number does not match the current total of scheduled languages; it may roughly correspond to an earlier stage but is no longer accurate.
19: This also represents an intermediate count before later amendments and is not the present accepted number of languages in the Eighth Schedule.
10: This figure is far too low and does not reflect the constitutional history of scheduled languages, so it is clearly incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes memorise outdated numbers or confuse the Eighth Schedule with other lists of languages, such as official languages of the Union or regional official languages. Another pitfall is to misremember the sequence of amendments and pick an intermediate figure like 17 or 19. Some may also confuse the number 22 with the number of official languages used on banknotes or other contexts without understanding that it specifically refers to scheduled languages. The safest way to avoid errors is to remember that the Constitution now recognises 22 scheduled languages in the Eighth Schedule after all relevant amendments.

Final Answer:
The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India currently recognises 22 scheduled languages.