Making Hindi Compulsory for competitive exams

Change in the medium of language for competitive exams for government posts

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 44
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 07TH DECEMBER, 2022/
AGRAHAYANA 16, 1944 (SAKA)

MAKING HINDI COMPULSORY FOR COMPETITIVE EXAMS AND INSTRUCTION IN INSTITUTIONS

44. SHRI A. A. RAHIM:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government intends to make change in the medium of language for competitive exams for government posts and whether question papers will only be in Hindi;

(b) whether Government intends to change the language of medium of instruction in Central Educational Institutions;

(c) whether this change will make Hindi compulsory in all the Central Government offices and institutions; and

(d) if so, why are all the languages in the eighth schedule of the constitution of India not being treated equally?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI AJAY KUMAR MISHRA)

(a): Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) are major recruiting agencies in Central Government. The preliminary examinations conducted by the UPSC and SSC comprise multiple-choice objective type questions in Hindi and English, wherein the candidate has to tick mark the appropriate answer.

UPSC holds examinations/ recruitment tests for selection of candidates to various Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ services/posts, on the basis of the Rules of Examination/ Recruitment Rules, as framed and notified by the concerned Ministry/ Department/ UT/ Statutory Body, including the medium of language. However, in the Civil Services (Mains), examination conducted by UPSC, the candidate has the option to write his answers in any regional language, except in case of language and literature papers.

The medium of examinations conducted by Staff Selection Commission (SSC) is normally Hindi and English. However, Paper-II of Multi-Tasking (non- Technical) Staff Examination is conducted in all the languages, included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. There is no proposal to conduct the examinations of SSC only in Hindi.

(b): National Education Policy (2020) envisages imparting more programs in higher education, using mother tongue/ local language as medium of instruction, and/or offer programs bilingually, in order to increase access and Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) and also to promote the strength, usage and vibrancy of all Indian Languages.

(c) & (d): Does Not Arise.

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