The Language Barrier in UPSC Exams
Brajesh Kumar, a dedicated aspirant for the civil services examination, believes his extensive preparation should suffice. However, like many others, he encounters a significant obstacle: language skills. This issue is not unique to Brajesh; it is a common challenge faced by tens of thousands of UPSC candidates. They argue for the inclusion of all 22 regional languages recognised under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution in the UPSC exams.
"There are 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule, and there are also provisions of equality in the Constitution," says Brajesh Kumar. "Since the exams are only in two languages, Hindi and English, it means that many people, like South Indians who know other languages, are losing out because of the language barrier, even if they are honest, intelligent, and capable of improving society. This is an injustice to them."
Brajesh emphasises that judging candidates based on their language skills is unfair. "You can’t judge a person based on their language skills. You can’t judge a person’s knowledge based on it either. For example, language is like a glass, maybe a steel glass or any other glass; if you are thirsty, you will not care which glass you are drinking water from; you will just drink the water and quench your thirst."
This sentiment echoes the voices of many UPSC aspirants who feel that inclusivity in language can provide a fairer and more just examination process, truly reflective of India's diverse linguistic landscape.
The Case for Linguistic Inclusivity in UPSC Exams
Many UPSC aspirants argue that the current system of setting civil services examination papers solely in Hindi and English offers an "unfair" advantage to those proficient in these languages, disadvantaging candidates fluent in other regional languages. Jatheesh Ganesan, who has been preparing for seven years, strongly believes it is time for the UPSC to adopt a more inclusive approach.
"I have been preparing for the UPSC for the past seven years. My medium of language is English because there are no question papers in Tamil. The question papers are always in Hindi and English, so I find it difficult," says Ganesan.
"I have taken some state PSC exams more than two or three times. In state PSC exams, we have questions in both English and Tamil. I find that very comfortable because if I have any trouble reading the English question paper, especially with technical words, I can read it in my regional language, which makes it much easier for me to understand. But the UPSC doesn’t offer this option," adds Ganesan.
Nanikrishna Boruah, another UPSC aspirant, echoes this sentiment. "First of all, we live in a country with diverse religions and languages. If citizens are demanding that all 22 languages should be included in our exams, I think this is a valid point and we should respect it. I believe the government should take action on this."
The Fight for Linguistic Inclusivity in UPSC Exams Reaches the Courts
S. Balamurugan, who used to be an UPSC aspirant years ago has taken his fight for linguistic inclusivity to the Madras High Court. He filed a petition demanding that the UPSC conduct its exams in all 22 languages listed under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The Madras High Court responded by directing the UPSC and the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) to address Balamurugan’s contentions. Speaking to The Probe, Balamurugan shared that his advocacy for inclusivity in UPSC exams spans over a decade, emphasising that this is a constitutional right beyond mere language issues.
"This PIL is related to conducting the civil services examination in all the 22 languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. When Hindi-speaking students have the right to take the civil services examination in their mother tongue, Hindi, the same right is not extended to speakers of non-Hindi languages like Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, or Northeastern languages. This particularly affects the right to equality and our freedom of speech and expression," explains Balamurugan.
He adds, "We can’t answer a question if we don’t understand it. The UPSC civil service examination is the steel frame of Indian administration, and civil servants are involved in policy formulation and execution. This process must be inclusive. Inclusivity can only be achieved when people from all parts of the country, including non-Hindi speaking states, participate in policy formulation. Many students from rural backgrounds hesitate to appear for civil services because the question paper is only in English and Hindi.
In 2022, according to the Press Information Bureau, a total of 11,35,697 candidates applied for the Civil Services Examination. Of these, 573,735 candidates appeared for the Preliminary Examination, and 13,090 qualified for the Main Examination. Many UPSC aspirants have expressed to The Probe that language remains the greatest obstacle before them.
"We come from a Kannada background. We don’t know English or Hindi," says Pinjaru Imam, another UPSC aspirant. "Even when we took the RRB and SSC exams, we faced many challenges because students from Hindi-speaking states like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Delhi easily cracked the exams. We are eagerly waiting for regional languages to be included in the UPSC. When I came to Delhi, I initially struggled to speak in Hindi. It was also very difficult to communicate in English. Understanding and expressing ethical subjects in English is challenging, but we can express them perfectly in our mother tongue."
Purnima Murmu, a UPSC aspirant, shares similar concerns. "All the UPSC question papers should be published in our native languages to make it more convenient for us. Those of us who come to Delhi from Jharkhand for preparation find the languages here, which are only English and Hindi, uncomfortable. If the question papers were published in our native language, it would be easier for us to understand and express ourselves. The biggest problem is the lack of resources if we don't have a background in English or Hindi. I'm from Jharkhand, where we are educated in our native languages like Santhali, Nagpuri, Khortha, and many others. Suddenly, we come here to study where there are only two modes of learning: either English or Hindi. Hence, we struggle to find resources and content.
Debating the Feasibility of Multilingual UPSC Examinations
The call for linguistic inclusivity in UPSC examinations has sparked a variety of opinions among aspirants. While some strongly advocate for conducting exams in all 22 scheduled languages, others raise concerns about its practicality and challenges.
Abhay Pratap Singh, a UPSC aspirant, believes that the current system of having exams in Hindi and English is adequate. "Exams in Hindi and English is alright for me because state examinations are also held and they are conducted in the respective languages of the state. So, India has official languages as Hindi and English, and, even if you are selected in the exam and you are posted somewhere, you should know Hindi and English because it is not Hindi but English which is the communicative language of India," he explains. "People speak more English than Hindi. Like I am from Punjab, and if I have to talk to a guy from South India here; he might not know Hindi and, for that fact, even I might not know Hindi, so we will talk in English. So, English and Hindi being a part of the question paper, I think that is alright."
Vikram Chourasia, another aspirant, notes the complexities of implementing examinations in multiple languages. "The PIL was filed arguing that the exams should be conducted in 22 languages. South Indians will have one preference, while others will advocate for their languages. Some will request the exam to be conducted in Marathi, and those fluent in Maithili will ask for it to be in Maithili. People from the Bhojpuri belt will want to take the exam in Bhojpuri. Everyone is putting forth their own opinions, but the Aayog has its code of conduct, and they will follow it," he says. "When our Prime Minister speaks in Hindi, others listen to the speech through headphones in their preferred language. This is a very good thing and is better for good governance. These changes are no doubt very good if UPSC can do it but it is not possible to implement this immediately. However, the government has resources, technology, and now we have AI."
The government notification related to UPSC exams states that the candidates can answer the exam in any of the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. However, the question papers are only available in English and Hindi, excluding all other scheduled languages. Many aspirants argue that this restriction creates an uneven playing field, giving those proficient in English or Hindi an undue advantage. They claim that this denial of equal access to public employment is a blatant violation of the Constitution of India.
Advocates for this change argue that the current exam format places students from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds, who may not be proficient in English or Hindi, at a disadvantage. They struggle to fully comprehend the question paper, which is inherently discriminatory. This situation is seen as a denial of equal employment opportunities, thereby violating Articles 14, 15, 16, 19(1)(a), and 21 of the Constitution of India.
Dr. Jitendra Kumar, a UPSC mentor, highlights the broader implications of this issue. "If we talk about the prelims point of view, there are three stages of examination: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. In the prelims, the question papers are only in Hindi and English, and there are more than six lakh students who appear in the examination out of the 10 lakh who fill the form. Out of this, about 13 to 18 thousand students are selected each year. Most of them come from an English background, and there are few students from Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Assamese, or any other language," he explains.
"Suppose in UPSC, if a Bihari candidate is posted in Tamil Nadu, he doesn't know Tamil. But after he joins LBSNAA, the institute, he is required to pass a proficiency test in the state language after the posting. Similarly, if you are posted in Manipur, the IAS officer, IPS, and others are required to pass an examination in the state language after their clearance. Suppose we become IFS officers and are posted in Russia; we don’t need to know Russian beforehand. After joining IFS, we are given training in the language. This process can be done later on as well. So, the arugument that we must anyhow know the language doesn't stand. By including these 22 languages, we include everyone, providing equal space, opportunity, and competition as outlined in our Directive Principles of State Policy."
The UPSC and the DOPT have so far remained tight-lipped about the issue. As the matter is expected to be heard in June before the Madras High Court, all eyes are on how the UPSC and DOPT will respond to Balamurugan's petition. This case could set a major precedent, potentially reshaping the landscape of civil service examinations in India. A positive verdict could pave the way for inclusivity and greater equity for scores of UPSC aspirants.
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