Test only in English, Hindi: Madras HC suspends central science exam – Times of India

MADURAI: The Madras high court has suspended an aptitude test for a Centre sponsored scholarship programme — Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) — slated for November 7 as the examination was to be held only in English and Hindi.
The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice M Duraiswamy ordered the postponement of the test while hearing a plea which sought the exam in all regional languages. The court also sought response from the Centre on the steps taken to conduct the exam in multiple Indian languages.
Rejecting the Centre’s submission that it does not have adequate personnel to assess answers given in various languages and that it may be difficult to find an equivalent term in local languages for scientific words and terminologies, the judges said: “It would not do for the Centre to say that it does not have qualified assessors to appreciate the material put up by non-Hindi and English-speaking aspirants. If at all, it is the deficiency with the Centre and young aspirants from non-Hindi and non-English speaking belts in the country should not suffer on such grounds.”
KVPY is a national program of fellowship in basic sciences funded by the department of science and technology, government of India. The objective of the exam is to identify students with talent and aptitude for research, to help them realize their academic potential and to encourage them to take up research careers in science by providing fellowships. Even if it is a token scholarship of Rs 5,000, it amounts to recognition of a young mind and every Indian of such age should be entitled to equally participate in the process and exhibit their talent, said the court while hearing a PIL filed by G Thirumurugan of Ramanathapuram.
It is possible for a bright young mind groomed in Assamese vernacular or another young prospect from deep in rural Odisha to be able to come up with brilliant ideas that the KVPY project aspires to tap into. Merely because the aspirant may not be adept at Hindi or English languages may not amount to the aspirant being disqualified, observed the judges.
The PIL-petitioner stated that conducting the exam only in English and Hindi would do injustice for the students studying in the other mediums of instructions. Hence, the petitioner sought to conduct the KVPY exam in all the regional languages, including Tamil.
The case was adjourned by a fortnight and it was posted before the principal bench at Chennai for further hearing.