KCR's appeal for conduct of exams in local languages bears fruit

HYDERABAD: The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has decided to conduct the multi-tasking (non-technical) staff test in 13 regional languages in addition to Hindi and English.

The 13 languages include Punjabi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Konkani, Manipuri (also Meiti), Marathi, Malayalam, Telugu, Urdu, Tamil, Odia and Kannada.

This announcement came two years after Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to allow aspirants to write the examinations in regional languages as well, in order to provide equal and fair opportunities to students from all states in India.

Telangana Chief Minister's appeal, which translated into action now, would help students from different states and also applicants who studied in regional language mediums.

KCR had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that all competitive tests for positions in the central government, central public sector undertakings, Indian Railways, Defence services and nationalised banks, were conducted in only two languages: Hindi and English. Students who did not study in English or who do not come from Hindi-speaking states had significant disadvantage in these competitive examinations.

In a letter written on November 18, 2020, Telangana Chief Minister KCR had urged, "In order to provide equal and fair opportunity to students from all states of India, it is requested that the candidates be permitted to write all competitive exams in regional languages also for recruitment in Government of India and its departments and undertakings through U.P.S.C. and all other agencies like Railway Recruitment Boards, Public Sector Banks, R.B.I., Staff Selection Co."