Major setback for Gadinada Kannadigas as Ker govt makes Malayalam mandatory for govt job seekers

Kasaragod: In a major setback for Gadinada Kannadigas, the Kerala government has made Malayalam mandatory to undertake government jobs in the state.

After imposing Malayalam as a mandatory language in administration, the Kerala government had posted Malayalam teachers to Kannada medium schools.

Those who have got government jobs will also have to clear the Malayalam language proficiency test before completing their probationary period.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said while inaugurating a Malayalam Mission event marking the International Mother Language Day said that the law in this regard is being amended.

So far only non-Malayalis coming from other states were recruited for government jobs in Kerala only after clearing the Malayalam test. This provision is now being extended to Malayalis who do not know Malayalam. The decision to make Malayalam mandatory for government jobs was taken way back in 2013. But it was not implemented since it needed amendments in the Kerala State and Subordinate Service Rule Amendments and approval of the Subject Committee of the State Assembly reported Onmanorama.

There are about 175 Kannada medium schools in Kasargod district with 44,000 students. The district has about six lakh population of Kannadigas and most of them live in Kasargod and Manjeshwar taluks.