Telangana: KTR pitches for competitive exams in regional languages

HYDERABAD: In a bid to avoid discrimination on the basis of language for candidates attempting various competitive exams conducted by the government, MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao, on Sunday, wrote to Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh, asking for a proper implementation of the policy for writing exams in regional languages. The Minister urged the Centre to withhold the recruitment process for notifications already announced and refrain from issuing new job notifications until the issue was resolved. 

In the letter to the Union Minister, Rama Rao said that every year scores of candidates from different States appear for various competitive exams for recruitment in Central services, departments and undertakings through the Union Public Service Commission and other recruitment agencies. These competitive exams are held in only English and Hindi, which is a serious disadvantage to students who did not study in English medium or are not from the Hindi speaking States.

He added that while the Union Cabinet had approved the proposal to set up the National Recruitment Agency to facilitate a Common Eligibility Test (NRA-CET) to replace multiple examinations for recruitment to Central government jobs and conduct these examinations in 12 Indian languages, the policy has not been implemented yet. 

“It is very unfortunate to note that these changes are not being implemented properly. For instance, in a recent job notification i.e. Constables (GD) in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), NIA, SSF and Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles Examination, 2021 — candidates are allowed to write the exam only in Hindi or English. Same is the case with a few other employment notifications in the recent past. This comes as a rude shock to applicants belonging to regional languages, who are forced to lose great opportunities,” read the letter. 

The Minister requested Singh to permit candidates taking all competitive exams to write in regional languages. “Allowing applicants to write competitive exams in their respective languages will provide equal and fair opportunity to the candidates from all the States,” he stated. “Until a proper implementation policy is decided on the regional languages issue, I request you to withhold the recruitment process for the notifications already announced and refrain from issuing new job notifications,” he added.