Tamil Nadu passes order making Tamil language compulsory for all state government jobs

The Tamil Nadu government, on Friday, announced that all state held competitive exams would now have a compulsory paper in the Tamil language, and 40% requirement in the paper would be basic qualifying criteria for entry to Tamil Nadu government services and state-run public sector enterprises.

Announcing the order, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan said that the DMK-led state government had approved an order mandating a Tamil language exam for all candidates appearing in competitive examinations held by the state recruitment board.

'Policy will help prevail social justice': Palanivel Thiagarajan  

In the coming days, the students have to mandatorily secure at least 40% marks in the Tamil language. As per the state finance minister, the policy will help to bring about social justice.

"The exam will be qualifying in nature and it is mandatory for a student to secure at least 40% marks in this exam to get a government job in the state," Thiagarajan said.

"This new policy will help prevail social justice. The government school students will be given importance in the recruitment process," he added. 

The minister went on to say that in Tamil Nadu, there are nine lakh government jobs for eight crore people. The DMK government believes that the move will uplift the students who have studied in Tamil medium, he added.

Tamil Nadu's anti-Hindi imposition movement

Tamil Nadu has a long history of language politics. ‘Anti-Hindi’ imposition protests have ensued a major part of Tamil Nadu politics. Anti-Hindi agitations in Tamil Nadu consisted of a series of protests that took place in Tamil Nadu (previously Madras State and part of the Madras Presidency). The agitations included multiple major rallies, rioting, student and political movements for the obligatory imposition of Hindi in the southern state.

The issue dates back to the pre-Independence era, as the first anti-Hindi imposition protest began in 1937, in response to the Indian National Congress government, led by C Rajagopalachari, who had introduced the obligatory Hindi language in schools under Madras Presidency.

EV Ramasamy (Periyar) and the opposition Justice Party were quick to condemn the move. The three-year campaign included fasts, conferences, marches, picketing, and protests, among other things. The government retaliated with a crackdown that resulted in the deaths of two protestors and the detention of 1,198 people, many of whom were women and children.

(Image: ANI)