The South Western Railway on Tuesday postponed departmental promotion examinations across Karnataka following protests over the exclusion of provisions to write the exams in Kannada. Chief minister Siddaramaiah strongly criticising the decision. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike members shout slogans during a protest against the exclusion of Kannada in railway recruitment exams, at Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station, in Bengaluru on Tuesday. (PTI)
In a statement, Siddaramaiah said the abrupt cancellation had left employees in uncertainty. “The Railway Department has abruptly cancelled the promotion examinations scheduled to be held today for 194 Goods Train Manager posts in South Western Railway and 101 LDCE posts in the Hubballi division, placing Kannada employees in uncertainty,” he said.
The examinations, part of recruitment in the Hubballi Division to fill 295 posts, were scheduled at centres including Bengaluru and Hubballi. They covered 194 goods train manager positions under a 60% promotional quota and additional vacancies through a Limited Departmental Competitive Examination under a 15% quota.
Siddaramaiah said concerns had been raised in advance. “Thousands of Kannada employees had already raised objections over the lack of provision to write the examination in Kannada. Despite peaceful protests, the department failed to respond in time, cancelling the examinations at the last moment and leading to the present confusion,” he said.
He called the situation avoidable. “Had the department acted early and allowed the examination in Kannada, this situation could have been avoided. Instead, its indifferent approach and last-minute cancellation after protests intensified is condemnable,” he said.
Members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike staged demonstrations at multiple centres, with some entering examination venues and demanding inclusion of Kannada alongside English and Hindi. The organisation has argued that limiting the test to two languages disadvantages local candidates.
A railway official said both the morning and afternoon sessions were postponed in view of the protests, adding that revised dates would be announced.
KRV leaders said the issue echoed earlier disputes. “We will not permit the examination to proceed without inclusion of the local language,” said KRV president TA Narayana Gowda.
He also criticised elected representatives. “Had it happened in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, the local MPs would have raised their voice for their language. Our MPs have shown no spine,” he said.
Referring to a similar episode in 2008, he said recruitment had earlier been halted after protests over the use of only English and Hindi. “In 2008, about 4,000 Group ‘D’ posts recruitment was being held with only English and Hindi language in an attempt to fill all the posts with Bihar candidates. Following the protests, it was stopped. Now, the Central government wants to introduce the same,” he alleged.
Gowda added that he had spoken to minister of state for railways V Somanna. “He expressed his helplessness and said everything was being done from Delhi. When local languages are being included for railway examinations in other states, why shouldn’t it be in Karnataka?” he asked.
Siddaramaiah described the issue as part of a broader pattern. “This is not the first instance, nor will it be the last, of Kannadigas facing injustice in central government examinations,” he said.
“India is a Union of States formed on linguistic foundations. We do not oppose Hindi, but we will not accept its imposition over Kannada,” he said.
He asked the Centre to ensure the examinations are conducted again at the earliest with an option to write in Kannada.