Sole taker for incentive to clear UPSC in Kannada

The scheme to award cash incentive to those who get through the prestigious UPSC examinations, including IAS, IPS and IFS, in Kannada language, was introduced in 2009-10. Under the scheme, a person clearing either IAS or IPS or Indian Revenue Service (IRS) examinations will be given Rs one lakh incentive and Rs 50,000 to those who pass other UPSC examinations in Kannada.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who was holding the Kannada and Culture portfolio, had allocated Rs one crore for the scheme, hoping for a good response. But the entire money lapsed and Rs 99.50 lakh still remains unspent during the current financial year.  C Somanna from Dharwad received Rs 50,000 this year for passing IRS examinations, official sources said.

The Kannada and Culture Department is now contemplating reducing the budgetary allocation from Rs one crore to Rs 10 lakh from the coming financial year for the scheme.
“There is no point in allocating such a huge sum of money under the scheme when there are no takers for it. Instead, it can be used for other useful purposes,” officials pointed out.

Why did the scheme flop? “Kannada language books are not available for students to prepare for such examinations. One has to depend on English books. A majority of the students from Karnataka fail in these examinations due to their poor English. If Kannada textbooks are made available, more number of students will pass these examinations from the State,” Kannada Development Authority Chairman Mukyamantri Chandru said.

Last year, the KDA arranged textbooks of 25 important subjects like History, Economics and Political Science, translated from English to Kannada language from Hampi University. But the entire syllabus was changed before the KDA printed the translated versions of the Kannada textbooks.

“Kannada textbooks will be made available to students free of cost in six months’ time,” he added.

No takers

* Only one person benefited from the govt’s scheme since its launch.
* Kannada and Culture Dept wants to cut down budgetary allocation for the scheme from next year.
* KDA to make Kannada textbooks available for students free of cost.