‘Unilateral & discriminatory’: Stalin hits out at Amit Shah over CRPF exams to be held in English, Hindi

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has strongly opposed the decision of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to conduct its recruitment examination for constables only in Hindi and English. In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, Stalin urged him to conduct the recruitment in Tamil and other regional languages so that the youth from non-Hindi speaking states get an equal opportunity to serve the paramilitary force.

Notification heavily loaded to favour Hindi speakers: Stalin

Stalin pointed out that a “hidden feature” of the notification was that out of the 100 marks, 25 marks were earmarked for basic understanding of Hindi, which meant the notification was heavily loaded to favour Hindi speakers. This recruitment notification of the CRPF jeopardised the interests of candidates from Tamil Nadu and was “not only arbitrary but also apparently discriminatory”, Stalin wrote.

The CRPF has issued a notification for the recruitment of 9,212 constables across the country, of which 579 vacancies are to be filled in Tamil Nadu. There are 12 centres in Tamil Nadu to appear for the computer-based test (CBT). However, the candidates appearing for this examination from Tamil Nadu cannot write the examination in their mother tongue Tamil.

Intentional move to discriminate against Tamil Nadu aspirants: Stalin

“A dispassionate reading of the notification reveals that the classification has been done intentionally to discriminate against the candidates from Tamil Nadu and also to deprive them of their opportunity to serve the paramilitary force of the nation,” Stalin said in his letter.

Stalin urged Mr. Shah to instruct the CRPF authorities to amend the notification for the recruitment and to conduct the CBT in Tamil and other state languages too so that the youth from non-Hindi speaking states would also get an equal opportunity to serve as the CRPF constables.

The classification that the CBT would be held only in English and Hindi was offending the Constitutional right of the youngsters who wish to appear for this examination and denied equality of opportunity in public employment or appointment, he said.