CRPF recruitment announcement for 1.3 lakh constables sparks debate on Hindi imposition again

This hurts lakhs of aspirants whose first language is not Hindi and provides an undue advantage to those who are well-versed in that language.

Leaders from southern states — especially Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Telangana — as well rights group in West Bengal, such as Bangla Pokkho, have been vehemently opposing any imposition of Hindi in banking, railway services, display boards, and government events, and have also criticised the absence of regional languages in common entrance exams for central services.

Read more: SSC notification for hiring constables kicks up language row

‘A serious disadvantage to non-Hindi speakers’

As per the BRS leader, KTR, lakhs of government job aspirants who are not acquainted with Hindi or English will face the issue as the notification says that the Computer Based Test (CBT) will be conducted in English and Hindi only.

“Competitive exams are being held only in English and Hindi, which is a serious disadvantage to students who did not study in English medium or are not from Hindi-speaking States,” KTR pointed out.

While noting that the National Recruitment Agency decided to facilitate a Common Eligibility Test (NRA-CET) to replace multiple examinations and conduct them in the 12 official Indian languages, KTR said: “However, it’s not being implemented properly, including in the CRPF recruitment notification.”

Request HM @AmitShah Ji to revise the CRPF national recruitment notification to include Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam & other official languages

These competitive exams are being held only in English and Hindi, which is a serious disadvantage to students who did not study in… pic.twitter.com/RnmvJ87r0m

— KTR (@KTRBRS) April 7, 2023

Read more: Centre called out for language discrimination, Hindi imposition

Against the spirit of Constitution

KTR noted that conducting competitive exams only in Hindi language is against the spirit of the Indian Constitution as there are several official languages in India.

“The CRPF notification denies people the right to equal opportunities — guaranteed by the constitution,” KTR added.

He referred to the letter written by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao in November 2020 to the Union Government  urging them to hold all national competitive exams  regional languages.

Linguistic equality, a must

General Secretary of pro-Bangla advocacy organisation Bangla Pokkho Garga Chatterjee, whose post about the absence of other regional languages in CRPF recruitment notification went viral on social media, told South First that the Union government’s decision goes against the basic idea of equality of all Indian citizens irrespective of language.

“Non-Hindi speaking people and states contribute a huge majority of the revenue by which the Union government runs and from which the salaries of its employees are paid. Absence of other regional languages than Hindi in this recruitment exam means that non-Hindi speaking people will provide salaries and Hindi people will have an undue advantage in getting government jobs,” Chatterjee pointed out.

He called upon the leaders of all non-Hindi speaking states, including the chief ministers to unite for linguistic equality and equal rights of all Indian citizens in government employment exams.

“Union government employment exams must happen in all Scheduled languages. It is a shame that non-Hindi speaking people have to fight for something basic like linguistic equality. But we are confident that we will get our rights as we are in the majority,” Chatterjee asserted.

Notification issued by Union Home Ministry for 140000 CRPF jobs. Hindipeople can give exam in Hindi. Non-Hindi people can't give exam in their mother tongue. Appeal to @mkstalin, @MamataOfficial, @siddaramaiah, @pinarayivijayan to stand for CRPF exam in all scheduled languages. pic.twitter.com/eaWqbsA62c

— Garga Chatterjee (@GargaC) April 6, 2023

Read more: Centre’s moves are uniting language rights activists from South to East

Parliamentary committee report

The notification comes against the backdrop of a report by a Parliamentary Committee led by Union Home Minister Shah last year which sparked protests over Hindi imposition.

The report recommended phasing out English as the medium of instruction in central professional institutions like IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS, and replacing it with Hindi in Hindi-speaking states and other regional languages elsewhere.

The report also recommended making Hindi mandatory instead of English in entrance exams.

Prioritising Hindi over other regional languages creates an unequal playing field where Hindi speakers are given an unfair advantage while non-Hindi speakers lose out, said experts.

For the first time in India, Shah on 16 October, launched MBBS textbooks in Hindi for three subjects — Biochemistry, Anatomy and Medical Physiology.

The books, however, drew criticism from medical fraternity.