Kannada Development Authority, the organisation spearheading the pro-Kannada approach in government institutions, has written to the Centre, demanding the inclusion of Kannada in exams for bank jobs and conducting national-level competitive exams in regional languages.
According to the Times of India, the KDA is waiting for legal opinion on its plan to write to the Governor regarding the use of Kannada in the Karnataka High Court.
KDA’s letters to the Centre state that locals are losing out on livelihood opportunities as Kannada language is not given priority. It argues that not just Kannada but giving importance to all regional languages, especially in the banking sector.
“Before this sensitive issue assumes drastic proportions, your government would do really well if appropriate measures are taken to roll back this unscientific employment policy in banks,” the KDA letter states.
The agency has also written separate letters to the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar and Minister of State, Department of Administrative reforms Jitendra Singh.
In these letters, KDA Chairman, SG Siddaramaiah states that that the UPSC exam along with all other national-level competitive exams, especially for the banking sector, must be conducted in official languages of the said states.
“The recruitment rules are clear. Those who have studied a regional language between class I and class X would get the preference but the new government has removed this clause. This is unfair and unjust,” Siddaramaiah was quoted by TOI.
According to the KDA Chairman, based on his correspondence with the Centre, officials have told him that his previous letters have been forwarded to the respective authorities.
“Look at the question papers of the competitive exams at the national level. It violates the 8th schedule of the Constitution, which clearly states that question papers must be provided in regional languages in order to give people from different regions, a fair chance to compete. I have urged the Centre to allow people to choose which language they want to write the exam in for any central government job,” Siddaramaih told TNM.
In July, the KDA had spearheaded the campaign to remove Hindi signages at Metro Staions. After a victory, the agency is now exploring other avenues for implementing a pro-Kannada approach.