State opposes UPSC language paper move

Karnataka on Tuesday joined several political parties in opposing an Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) notification for scrapping of the regional language paper, describing it as an attempt to impose Hindi and English, which would affect rural aspirants.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Kannada Development Authority chairperson Mukhyamantri Chandru sought the immediate withdrawal of the notification, terming it a “big blow” to rural aspirants.

Setback for rural students

According to the latest notification, he said, only when there are a minimum of 25 candidates qualified in a particular language, would they be permitted to write their answers in that language and this had come as a major setback for rural aspirants.

“But this restriction, according to the notification, is not applicable to Hindi and English. In the main examinations, candidates can write answers only in the language which is their medium in the degree courses,” he said.

“These restrictions, which bar rural aspirants in the Civil Services (Main) Examinations, open up a broad gateway to urban aspirants who study in Hindi or English medium,” he said.

Earlier, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navanirman Sena and the Telugu Desam Party among others had opposed the new UPSC rules.