Language Uproar Halts South Western Railway Exams

South Western Railway postponed its recruitment exams after protests by pro-Kannada organizations. The tests were initially conducted only in English and Hindi, leading to objections that Kannada should be included. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called for the exams to accommodate local language needs, urging intervention from the central government.

On Tuesday, South Western Railway abruptly postponed its recruitment examinations due to protests by pro-Kannada organizations. The exams, initially conducted only in English and Hindi, faced backlash from groups demanding the inclusion of Kannada as a test language.

Members of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike gathered outside exam centers in Bengaluru and Hubballi, voicing concerns that excluding Kannada could prevent local candidates from participating. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged the Union Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conduct the exams with provisions for Kannada-speaking candidates.

Siddaramaiah highlighted previous instances where Kannada-speaking candidates faced injustice in central exams. He criticized the continued Hindi preference and urged action towards fair language representation in recruitment processes.

(With inputs from agencies.)