While the languages that earlier had the tag of classical status were Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia, Tamil (notably) was granted the status in 2004 and the last language to get it was Odia in 2014.
Criteria for granting Classical Status to languages
The early texts of the language should possess a remarkable antiquity, with a recorded history spanning approximately 1,500 to 2,000 years.
The collection of ancient literature is regarded as a cultural heritage by successive generations of speakers.
It encompasses knowledge texts, particularly prose, alongside poetry, as well as epigraphical and inscriptional evidence.
The classical languages and their literature may differ significantly from their contemporary forms or may not exhibit continuity with the later derivatives of these languages.