<P> Languages of Assam in 2011 </P> <P> Assamese and Bodo are the major indigenous and official languages while Bengali is the official language in the three districts in the Barak Valley where Sylheti is the most spoken indigenous language . Bengali is the second most widely spoken language of the state, although a significant portion of those who are recorded speaking Bengali in the census do not actually speak Bengali, but instead speak closely related languages normally treated as dialects of Bengali, like Sylheti and Rangpuri . </P> <P> According to the language census of 2011 in Assam, out of a total population of around 31 million, Assamese is spoken by around half that number: 15 million . Although the number of speakers is growing, the percentage of Assam's population who have it as a mother tongue has fallen slightly . The various Bengali dialects and closely related languages are spoken by around 9 million people in Assam, and the portion of the population that speaks these languages has grown slightly . Bodo is still the third most - spoken language </P> <P> Traditionally, Assamese was the language of the common folk (of mixed origin--Austroasiatic, Tibeto - Burman, Prakrit) in the ancient Kamarupa kingdom and in the medieval kingdoms of Kamatapur, Kachari, Chutiya, Borahi, Ahom and Koch . Traces of the language are found in many poems by Luipa, Sarahapa, and others, in Charyapada (c. 7th--8th century AD). Modern dialects such as Kamrupi and Goalpariya are remnants of this language . Moreover, Assamese in its traditional form was used by the ethno - cultural groups in the region as lingua - franca, which spread during the stronger kingdoms and was required for economic integration . Localised forms of the language still exist in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh . The form used in upper Assam was enriched by the advent of Tai - Shans in the 13th century . </P>

Tribal population of assam according to 2011 census