(a) whether it is true that for the purpose of recruitment for positions in banks/ insurance/ customs/ central excise departments, proficiency in any of the 22 languages included in the Seventh Schedule has been made mandatory;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether Kannada language has been included in the Seventh Schedule list to be used as a base list of banking services recruitment process; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(a) to (d): The Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India does not list languages. However, the Eighth Schedule lists 22 languages, including Kannada.
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) that conducts recruitments for clerical posts in all Public Sector Banks (PSBs), except the State Bank of India (SBI), has informed that the criteria include proficiency in the official language of the State/UT as preferable. SBI has informed that, in the case of recruitment of Junior Associate in the bank, the joining of selected candidate is subject to their clearing the regional language proficiency test.
Proficiency in local languages is treated as an essential qualification for appointment to posts of Officer Scale-I and Office Assistant (Multipurpose) in Regional Rural Banks (RRBs).
For recruitment in the clerical and subordinate staff cadres in Public Sector General Insurance Companies, knowledge of the regional language is essential. Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) conducts test for proficiency in the regional language for the post of Assistant.
The Union Public Service Commission has informed that the Commission does not hold any competitive examination exclusively for direct recruitment for personnel for Customs/Central Excise Department. However, the direct recruitment to Indian Revenue Service (Customs / Central Excise) Group ‘A’ is made through the Civil Services Examination. For the Preliminary Examination, the question papers are of objective type and there is no paper for testing the proficiency / qualification for Indian languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. For the Civil Services Main Examination, the candidates are required to appear for the compulsory language paper of English and one of the Indian languages included in the Eighth Schedule.
The Staff Selection Commission has informed that examinations for recruitment of various posts pertaining to Department of Customs and Central Excise are conducted in the medium of Hindi and English. However, Paper-II of Multi Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff Examination is conducted in all the 22 languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
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