Union Minister Jitendra Singh Announces SSC’s Ambitious Plan to Conduct Competitive Exams in 22 Indian Languages
01-10-2023 : Union Minister Jitendra Singh has announced that the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) is planning to conduct competitive examinations in 22 Indian languages in the future. This initiative aims to provide a language-neutral platform for aspiring candidates, ensuring a level playing field for all.
Addressing the valedictory session of the ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav: Technology & Bharatiya Bhasha Summit,’ Singh highlighted the importance of preserving and promoting Indian languages in education and competitive exams. He mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has played a pivotal role in this endeavor, emphasizing the significance of students’ mother tongues in primary, technical, and medical education.
Singh noted that under the new National Education Policy (NEP), the government is taking historic steps to prioritize regional languages. He mentioned that SSC exams are already being conducted in 13 languages, including 11 regional languages, Hindi, and English. This shift allows candidates to choose the language they are most comfortable with, unlike the past when they had to opt for either Hindi or English.
Before 2014, English-to-Hindi translation was poorly executed, putting many students at a disadvantage. To address this issue, Singh stated that the SSC intends to conduct competitive exams in all 22 Indian languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Moreover, Singh highlighted that exams like JEE, NEET, and UGC are already being conducted in 12 Indian languages, and this decision is expected to encourage local youth’s participation and improve their selection prospects.
Singh also praised Prime Minister Modi’s efforts to promote Indian regional languages and provide medical and engineering education in these languages. He cited the NEP as a groundbreaking reform that would transform India’s education system to meet global standards.
The minister emphasized that NEP-2020 would create new opportunities for students and youth in India, fostering entrepreneurship and career development. He mentioned that 29 institutes across 10 states have been identified for imparting engineering education in several regional languages, including Bengali, Hindi, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu.
