Key Facts
The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), a prominent Kannada organisation, has strongly opposed the South Western Railway's decision to conduct a promotion examination without providing Kannada as a language option. The KRV has warned of state-wide protests if the issue is not resolved.
Earlier this year, on March 17, the Railways had postponed its departmental recruitment examinations after KRV raised similar objections against tests being conducted exclusively in English and Hindi.
Details of the Controversy
In a press statement issued on Monday, KRV president T.A. Narayana Gowda alleged that railway authorities were denying Kannada-speaking employees the opportunity to write the examination in their mother tongue. He termed the move a violation of the linguistic rights of Kannadigas and demanded immediate intervention by the Railway Board and the South Western Railway administration.
According to Mr. Gowda, the examination question papers are being prepared only in English and Hindi. He argued that hundreds of Kannada-speaking railway employees eligible for promotion would be disadvantaged as they would not be able to take the examination in Kannada.
Impact on Kannada-Speaking Employees
Mr. Gowda emphasised that Kannada is the official language of Karnataka and alleged that while regional languages are accommodated in other states, Kannada continues to be ignored in railway recruitment and promotion examinations conducted in Karnataka. He described the move as discriminatory and called for all railway recruitment and promotion tests in the state to be conducted in Kannada as well.
What Readers Should Know
- The KRV has urged the authorities to either cancel the June 25 examination or postpone it until Kannada is included as an examination language.
- The organisation has warned of state-wide protests if their demands are not met.
- This is the second time in 2025 that the KRV has objected to the exclusion of Kannada from railway exams.
FAQ
Why is the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike protesting against the railway exam?
The KRV is protesting because the South Western Railway's promotion examination does not offer Kannada as a language option, disadvantaging Kannada-speaking employees.
What action has the KRV demanded?
The KRV has demanded that the Railway Board and South Western Railway either cancel the June 25 examination or postpone it until Kannada is included as an examination language.
Has this happened before?
Yes, in March this year, the Railways postponed departmental recruitment exams after similar objections from the KRV regarding the lack of Kannada as a language option.