Errors in Kannada assistant professor recruitment question paper have candidates up in arms

A group of candidates have demand re-examination; KDA seeks an explanation

A group of aspirants, who appeared for the examination for recruitment of Kannada assistant professors earlier this month, are up in arms over “multiple errors in the question paper”. Many are demanding a re-exam and are opposed to grace marks, arguing that it will only ruin competition and make the competitive exam meaningless.

Senior Kannada writer Baragur Ramachandrappa, too, is supporting their demand for a re-exam. Meanwhile, the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) has taken up the issue with the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), which conducted the examination on March 14.

Ravi M. Sidlipura, one of the candidates who has lodged a complaint with the KDA, listed out 26 errors in the question paper. He highlighted both misspelt words and factual errors. “For instance, the names of several writers and their works were wrong. Poet K.S. Narasimhaswamy was named Narasimha Sharma; Akkamahadevi was called Akkamma; and the work, ‘Vimarsheya Paribhashe’, was printed as ‘Vimarsheya Naribhashe’,” he said.

He also pointed out that the question paper did not have information about the negative marking printed on its first page. 

T.S. Nagabharana, KDA Chairman, has written to the KEA taking the authority to task over such errors in the Kannada question paper. “It is so ironic that there are so many errors in the Kannada question paper in an exam to recruit assistant professors for the language by the Karnataka Government. This is not the first time such errors have crept in. The KEA must take disciplinary action against those responsible for this and blacklist those who set the question paper,” he said in his letter, seeking a report within three days. 

The KEA has sought time till April 15 to respond to the KDA. When asked about the issue, Ramya S., executive director, KEA, said the authority would not offer any comments on the examination. 

Mr. Nagabharana said he had a meeting with KEA officials. “They claim the number of mistakes to be not more than eight, for which they will give grace marks to everyone who has attempted those questions,” he said. However, many aspirants are not happy with grace marks, as they argue it would skew competition and have demand a re-exam.