Kannada degree holders hope Mahishi report materialises

According to the list of those who have registered their names in the employment exchange till March 31, 2010, there are more than 500 Kannada language degree holders, post-graduate degree holders and doctorate holders in the taluk.

Also, there are many others who haven’t registered at the employment exchange, but are working in private organisations.

Their number is nearly 10 times that of those who have registered. Many of these are doing jobs entirely different from the subject they studied for their degrees.

Chandru’s demand to the government has rekindled hopes that they will get permanent jobs. If the Sarojini Mahishi report is implemented, Kannada will be compulsory in the curriculum for all medical and technical courses, with the need to conduct exams in the language. This will provide jobs for the degree holders, the Kannada degree holders feel.

When Baragur Ramachandrappa was the KDA chief in 2003, he had introduced Kannada in the curriculum in the medical and technical courses. But there were no guidelines for conducting exams with the number of marks fixed. 
                                                                                                  
Hence, even though Kannada in curriculum is in force, there is no stress on the study of the language. The professional colleges also have not recruited lecturers for teaching Kannada, thus leading to lack of job opportunities for these graduates.

Bangarpet has a sizeable population of Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam speakers, besides a constant increase in the population of Marwaris from Rajasthan. This trend has led to a gradual decline in the number of those speaking Kannada.

There are 64 small and medium industries in the taluk, with many from other states being employed. Implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi may result in employment opportunities for them in these industries is the fervent hope of the Kannadigas here.