Mysuru: Strongly condemning the ignorance of Kannada in the Railway exam for promotion as Goods Train Manager scheduled on June 25, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike has demanded the conduct of exam in Kannada as well. 

Addressing a press meet here recently, Vedike District President Praveen Kumar alleged that the Railways has been betraying Kannada and Kannadigas by ignoring the language. 

 Urging for postponement of the exam,  he demanded that the Railways announce a fresh date for exam after allowing the exam in Kannada too. Praveen Kumar further wanted the Railways to make Kannada mandatory in all Recruitment and Promotion exams that take place in Karnataka.  

He also warned of an agitation in front of all exam centres if the exams are not held in Kannada too. 

Vedike   office-bearers Manjesh, K.P. Raju, Lokesh Kumar, Hemanth Gowda, Sunanda Prasad and Rafiq Ahmed were present at the press meet. 

Railways clarifies  

Meanwhile the Railways has clarified that the June 25 exam is only for promotion of Railway employees as  Goods Train Manager. 

South Western Railway (SWR) Mysuru Division Commercial Manager Girish Dharmaraj Kalagonda said that the June 25 exam being held for Railway staff for promotion as Goods Train Manager does not include the local language as per the rules of the Railway Board and the rule applies to all Railway Zones and Divisions in the country. 

Pointing out that there will be no local/ regional language option in any Railway promotional exams, he said the promotional exams will be held only in Hindi and English. However, it is to be noted that Railway exam for fresh recruitments will be held in Hindi and English along with local language, he said adding that Vedike’s agitation for inclusion of Kannada in June 25 exam has been brought to the notice of Railway Board and Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna.