DH Impact | IBPS exams put on hold over language row

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah launched a tirade at Sitharaman, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and BJP MPs for their 'anti-Kannada' stand

The Finance Ministry said Tuesday that recruitment for 3,000 clerical posts in 11 banks will be put on hold in the wake of criticism that candidates did not have the option to write the exam in Kannada and other local languages.

DH had reported Tuesday how the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) was under fire from language activists yet again for providing just English and Hindi as options to job aspirants. Of the 3,000 clerical posts up for grabs, 407 are in Karnataka.

Also read — Karnataka: Lack of local language option in bank exam kicks up storm

"In order to look into the demand for holding examination for clerical cadre in Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in local/regional languages, a committee has been constituted to look into the matter in its entirety. The committee will give its recommendations within 15 days. The ongoing process of holding the examination initiated by IBPS will be kept on hold until the recommendations of the committee are made available," the Nirmala Sitharaman-led Finance Ministry said in a statement.

The DH report quoted Rajya Sabha member G C Chandrashekar saying that Sitharaman had assured that banking exams will be conducted in Kannada.

"...it may be clarified that the Finance Minister’s statement referred to above was made in the context of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) only. With a view to provide a level playing field to the local youths for availing employment opportunities, the Government in 2019 decided that for recruitment of Office Assistant and Officer Scale I in RRB, the examination will be held in 13 regional languages including Konkani and Kannada, besides Hindi and English. Since then, examination for these recruitments are being conducted in regional languages also," the statement said.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said he met Sitharaman and brought up the issue of conducting exams in local languages. He thanked her "for prioritising employment of our youth and putting banking IBPS exam on hold".

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah launched a tirade at Sitharaman, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and BJP MPs for their "anti-Kannada" stand. "Being elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, Sitharaman has constantly betrayed Kannadigas and Kannada. She is unfit to represent the people of Karnataka in Rajya Sabha," he said, demanding her resignation.

Also read — Siddaramaiah accuses Centre of betraying Kannadigas; calls Yediyurappa a 'mouse' over IBPS language row

"Yediyurappa's followers call him huli (tiger), but in reality he is ili (mouse). He hides in burrows when he has to stand up in front of Narendra Modi. Let him resign if he cannot ensure justice to Kannadigas," the Congress leader said.

The former chief minister said most government schemes are implemented through banks. "Farmers, labourers, women, and many others are dependent on banks. Rural people are facing harassment from the staff who don't know Kannada," he pointed out.