Student organisations, lecturers, and coaching centres discovered errors in more than 50 questions spread across Paper 1 and Paper 2.
Published Sep 02, 2024 | 8:18 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 02, 2024 | 8:18 PM
KPSC logo and CM Siddaramaiah
The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) is facing significant backlash due to inaccuracies in translating questions from English to Kannada in the recently held preliminary examination.
On Monday, 2 September, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the state government would re-conduct the exam within two months. He also stated that the government has relieved those responsible for the lapses from duty. Meanwhile, the aspirants are demanding for the revival of the entire KPSC Board.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took to social media platform X, to address the issue. He wrote, “In light of reports of inappropriate Kannada translation of questions in the KPSC Gazetted Probationers’ examination, I have directed KPSC to re-conduct the examination within 2 months to ensure fairness to all candidates.”
He further stated: “Those responsible for these lapses have been relieved of their duties. The upcoming examination will be conducted with the utmost responsibility and accountability following all due diligence. We remain committed to upholding the integrity of our recruitment processes.”
In the light of reports of inappropriate kannada translation of questions in the KPSC Gazetted Probationers’ examination, I have directed KPSC to reconduct of the examination within 2 months to ensure fairness to all candidates
Those responsible for these lapses have been…
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 2, 2024
On 27 August, the Gazetted Probationers’ exam was held to recruit 350 probationary officers for gazetted positions in Karnataka. Numerous candidates and writers criticised the Commission for potentially relying on Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools or Google translate, leading to problematic translations and various errors in the question paper. Many candidates found some questions to be incomprehensible as a result.
Student organisations, lecturers, and coaching centres discovered errors in more than 50 questions spread across Paper 1 and Paper 2. They struggled due to mistakes in translation and factual inaccuracies. The Karnataka State Competitive Examination Aspirants’ Association contended that 58 questions were significantly flawed, due to which 116 marks were unfairly distributed.
The Kannada Development Authority (KDA) identified the inaccuracies and issued a notice to the KPSC. In response, the KPSC stated that they did not employ any technological tools for the translation process; instead, it was completed by translators appointed by the Commission’s Translation Department, the Commission said.
Out of the 130,000 students who took the exam, more than 100,000 were from Kannada-medium backgrounds and rural areas. The mistakes in translation had a particularly strong impact on these students, intensifying the controversy. Due to this, the demand for the re-exam gained significance.
Both KDA Chairman Purushottam Bilimale and Kannada Sahitya Akademi Chairman L. N. Mukundaraj were vocal in their criticism of the translation errors found in the question paper.
The KPSC’s decision to hold a re-exam has sparked a variety of reactions. Many students welcomed the re-exam, seeing it as a chance to ensure that the assessment process is fair and accurate. Public opinion on the matter has been divided.
Some individuals commended the KPSC for taking corrective measures and addressing the initial issues, while others criticised the commission for the inconvenience and delays caused by the need for a re-exam.
In defence of its decision, the KPSC emphasised the importance of maintaining the examination’s integrity. Officials explained that the re-exam was necessary to correct the previous errors and to guarantee that the results are precise for all candidates.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
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