BENGALURU: Nikhil Kumaraswamy, the State President of Youth Janata Dal, has officially requested the Central Government to conduct departmental promotion exams for the South Western Railway (SWR) zone in Kannada. He voiced his support for Kannada-speaking employees by writing letters to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna.

Key Highlights of the Appeal:

Prioritize Kannada: Currently, SWR departmental exams are conducted only in Hindi and English. Since a major portion of the South Western Railway falls within Karnataka, Nikhil Kumaraswamy argued that providing the option to take exams in the mother tongue would significantly benefit local employees.

Adherence to 2024 Order: He pointed out that a Railway Board order issued in August 2024 permits departmental exams to be held in regional languages alongside Hindi and English across all railway zones. He demanded the immediate implementation of this rule for the Kannada language.

Benefits for Local Employees:

Nikhil Kumaraswamy emphasized that it is natural to prioritize Kannada within the state of Karnataka. He stated:

"Providing the opportunity to write exams in Kannada will increase promotion opportunities for employees from our state. I will make an honest effort to protect the interests of our state's railway employees." He has urged the Union Ministers to review the matter and issue necessary directions to the South Western Railway to include Kannada as an exam medium.