Months of hard work and waiting period has reached a dead end for several candidates applying for the posts of assistant engineer in Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL). This, because the job notification failed to mention knowledge of Kannada as a mandatory requirement.
Those who have not studied Kannada are required to clear Kannada language test within the one-year probation period. This is as per the Karnataka Electricity Board Recruitment and Promotion Regulations, Employees (Probation) Regulations and Employees (Seniority) (Amendment) Regulations 2015. The KPTCL missed out on this crucial detail in its official notification issued in April this year.
Big deal, really? The implication of it for the candidates involved is huge: On one hand, several candidates from outside the state who have applied for the posts and have been shortlisted are now unsure whether they want this job or not. On the other, this has deprived local candidates of job opportunities.
At crossroads
Speaking to Deccan Herald, one of the shortlisted candidates from North India said several like him were in a bind with the language test aspect suddenly sprung on them.
“For the same posts in several other companies, it had clearly been mentioned in the job notification that Kannada knowledge was required. Hence, we did not apply there.” Not just this, even after shortlisting names, when candidates called to enquire about it, they were encouraged to appear for document verification even though they did not know Kannada. “Only after that did we book train tickets for document verification. Can we really learn to read and write the language in one year? We are not sure whether we want to pursue this job. There are at least 50 of us from outside Karnataka,” the candidate said.
Representation to KPTCL
Meanwhile, for several local candidates, it is an opportunity missed. The candidates said that some candidates who were selected in 2011 and had failed the Kannada Language Test were continuing in probation in KPTCL for the last four years. “They know they have made a mistake but they do not want to accept it. It is a problem for both Kannada and non-Kannada students now,” said a candidate from the city. They have now decided to give an official representation to KPTCL.
It is candidates’ problem , says MD
When Deccan Herald contacted KPTCL Managing Director Jawaid Akhtar said it was the candidates’ problem to decide whether or not they want the job.
He said KPTCL need not mention all service details in the notification.
However, similar notifications issued by Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Ltd (Gescom), also in April this year, Karnataka Power Corporation Limited in December 2014 and Bescom in August 2014 clearly mention knowledge of Kannada as a mandatory requirement.