Narendra Modi slams changes in UPSC exam, alleges anti-Gujarati bias

AHMEDABAD: Describing the recent changes in UPSC exam pattern as "a language bias" against Gujarati, Chief Minister Narendra Modi today demanded that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh should intervene and reverse the changes.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Modi opposed the decision to scrap the regional languages.

"The decision would ruin the dreams of thousands of candidates from Gujarat," he said, seeking that PM take a remedial step.

"A candidate will not be able to write the essay in Gujarati or in any other language. He has to now compulsorily write it in English or Hindi," Modi said.

If a candidate has graduated in any of the approved regional languages, then he should be able to write all the papers (except Section-2 of Paper-1 on English comprehension and précis) in that language, Modi said.

He described the new rules as a "language bias" against Gujarati, because a large number of students in the state attend Gujarati medium schools, and can not be as proficient in English or Hindi as they would be in Gujarati.

A large number of candidates from the socially or financially backward classes, including those from tribal communities, belong to this disadvantaged section, whose chances would be spoilt due to the new rules, he said.