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

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) is under fire from language activists yet again for failing to respond to repeated demands of providing an option to choose the local language to write its exams.

The trend of allowing only Hindi and English in IBPS exams has continued in a recent notification seeking applications to fill over 3,000 clerk posts in 11 banks, of which 407 are for Karnataka.

According to the IBPS notification, the exam will have three tests — English language, numerical ability and reasoning ability — during the preliminary examination, and four tests — general/financial awareness, general English, reasoning ability and computer aptitude, and quantitative aptitude — in the main examination.

“The above tests except the tests of English language will be available bilingually, i.e, English and Hindi,” the notification said.

The Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) criticised the IBPS for continuing to hold exams in only two languages despite the fact that 22 languages were recognised by the Constitution of India. KSP president Manu Baligar also wrote to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to urge the Union government to conduct banking exams in Kannada.

The latest notification also renewed calls to reinstate the IBPS rules as it was in place till 2014, before the Centre amended them.

Congress’ Rajya Sabha member G C Chandrashekar recalled the statements made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in 2019, when she had assured holding banking exams in local languages.

“Though our demand was to reinstate rules as it was prior to 2014, Sitharaman had assured to hold exams in Kannada. However, the IBPS has cheated us again. Applications are invited for clerk posts, but exams will not be held in Kannada. Vacant posts in Karnataka are also not reserved for local candidates,” Chandrashekar said in a tweet.

“Kannadigas won’t get any justice until the rules prior to 2014 are brought back. In 2014, the domicile rule was removed to cheat Kannadigas,” JD(S) IT wing head Prathap Kanagal tweeted.

Activist Chetan Jeeral said the silence of the state government and Opposition parties over the issue was a “fraud” committed on the part of Kannadigas. “This is a question of livelihood,” he said.

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