KDA favours action against KSPC staff behind erroneous question papers, says Bilimale

KDA chairman calls for action against KPSC staff for translation errors in exam, pushing for re-examination and accountability.

The Karnataka Development Authority (KDA) will recommend the State government take action against the staff of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) who are responsible for the erroneous translation of questions from English to Kannada, in question papers of the preliminary examination conducted on August 27 for filling 350 posts of gazetted probationary officers, said KDA chairman Purushottama Bilimale in Mangaluru on Sunday, September 1.

During a meeting with activists fighting to recruit locals for company jobs in Mangaluru, Mr. Bilimale said errors affected more than 60,000 aspirants of the State. There were more than 60 errors in one paper. The KPSC was unfair to students of Kannada medium and those responsible for this “anti-Kannada stance” should be held accountable. KSPC has failed to follow government norms in examinations held since 2008, Mr. Bilimale said.

The chairman said he had received a report from KSPC on the issue. “In another two days, I will submit a report to the Chief Minister.” Mr. Bilimale said the Authority favoured re-examination. “The Authority will take responsibility for translating the question papers (for re-examination).” The Authority will take the issue to a logical conclusion, he added.

Mr. Bilimale said the Authority has asked the government to release ₹18 crore towards the release of grants to students in Kannada chairs across the country and other grants for the Authority’s Kannada development works, which has not been paid since 2021.

The government is yet to allocate land for the Kannada Classical Centre of Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysuru. The Authority will shortly launch a students’ movement to retain over 60,000 local names of places by installing name boards, Mr. Bilimale said.