Kannada Development Authority complains to Centre about 'linguistic discrimination'

The Kannada Development Authority (KDA) has lodged a strong protest with the Centre over the UGC-National Eligibility Test not being translated in Kannada, a facility it said was available to Hindi speaking candidates.

KDA Chairman T S Nagabharana, in a letter to Union Minister for Education Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', said a woman candidate had brought to the notice of the Authority that those writing the exam using the question paper prepared in English have the facility to get it translated to Hindi to clear their doubts. She went through immense difficulties to understand a couple of questions in English and no facility was provided to translate it to Kannada, as was made available for Hindi speaking candidates, he said.

The KDA also wrote to the Secretary in the Department of Higher Education, Amit Khare, and University Grants Commission Chairman Prof D P Singh over the matter. "We lodge our strong protest for this discriminatory policy that has pushed candidates into serious handicap and disadvantage as compared to candidates who have access to translation in Hindi language," he said in his letter sent on Monday.

The KDA chairman alleged that this was a gross violation of Article 14 and 15 of the Constitution. Article 14 says "The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India." Article 15 prohibits discrimination of Indians on basis of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Nagabharana urged the authorities concerned to provide a detailed report on the issue and quickly set it right for the remaining students who will be writing their exams over the next two months.