Lakh vs Lac: Understanding the Correct Term for 100,000 in India

When it comes to large numbers in India, the terms lakh and lac are frequently used. However, for clarity and adherence to official guidelines, one term is more prevalent than the other. According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, the correct term is lakh.

Correct Term for 100,000

Based on the Examples of the Correct Usage

He won 1 lakh rupees in the lottery.

Balraj Shukla, a farmer from Uttar Pradesh in India, recently won a staggering 1 lakh rupees in a lucky draw. This is a common use of lakh to represent a monetary amount in India.

The population of India is over 1 billion lakh.

When discussing population statistics, lakh is often used to denote the large numbers that characterize India's demographic. For example, the population of India is over 1 billion, which can also be stated as over 100 lakh.

The price of the house is 20 lakh rupees.

A house priced at 20 lakh rupees is a common expression in real estate transactions in India, highlighting the use of lakh for denoting this value.

Banking Context

When writing a check at a bank, the correct representation of 100,000 rupees in words is one hundred thousand rupees. Banks and official documents generally follow the standard format of the Indian numbering system, which is why lakh is the term used.

Historical Context and Usage

The term lakh has been in use since the early 20th century. The first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) included lakh in 1901. It is the current correct spelling, with lac being a variant used in the 1800s. The OED has 5 separate entries for lakh, which includes 4 nouns and 1 verb, indicating its extensive use in various contexts.

Lakh is the term preferred in official and standard usage because it is more clear and unambiguous. Although lac is sometimes used, it is not as commonly recognized or standardized.

Conclusion

While both lakh and lac are terms used to denote 100,000 in India, the official preference and usage are overwhelmingly in favor of lakh. This is due to its widespread use in official documents, banking, and official guidelines such as those from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).