SSC multitasking (non-technical) staff exam to be conducted in 13 regional languages as well: Jitendra Singh
In a significant decision, the Centre has given approval for the Staff Selection Commission's multitasking (non-technical) staff examination to be conducted in 13 regional languages, in addition to Hindi and English, according to Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh. This decision comes after persistent demands from various states, particularly from southern India, to hold SSC exams in languages other than English and Hindi. The Personnel Ministry has stated that this move will enable lakhs of aspirants to take part in the examination in their mother tongue or regional language, improving their selection prospects. The decision is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of providing equal opportunities to all for job applications and ensuring that no one is disadvantaged due to language barriers, said Singh.
Singh also stated that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has approved the conduct of the Staff Selection Commission Multitasking (Non-Technical) Staff (SSC MTS) examination and Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination (CHSLE) in 13 regional languages, along with Hindi and English. The question paper will be set in Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Urdu, Punjabi, Manipuri (also known as Meiti), and Konkani. The notice for the MTS 2022 exam has received a positive response, especially among candidates from South India and on social media, according to Singh.
Governments of states and Union territories are expected to launch campaigns to encourage local youth to take advantage of the opportunity to take the examination in their mother tongue and participate in large numbers to build careers serving the country, Singh said. Efforts are also being made to include all the languages listed in the Constitution's Eighth Schedule eventually, he added. Singh praised SSC's efforts to eliminate regional inequalities and promote linguistic diversity in the country while ensuring equal opportunities for all.
According to the statement, the first exam in multi-language (MTS 2022) will begin on May 2. The government had appointed an expert committee to examine this issue, among others, including the review of the commission's examination scheme and syllabus. The expert committee recommended conducting the 10th and 12th exams in multiple languages, starting with the 14 languages used by Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) and the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS). The government accepted this recommendation and asked SSC to work out the details. The commission has decided to start with conducting MTS and CHSLE exams in 15 languages, as used by IBPS/RRBs, and gradually include all the languages mentioned in Schedule VIII of the Constitution, according to the statement. The notice for the CHSL exam in multi-language will be issued in May-June 2023, the statement added.