The row over the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination pattern and ‘police atrocities’ on agitating students in Delhi were raised once again in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
“I feel sorry for the students who are agitating, who aspire to enter the services. The Prime Minister is also concerned about the issue. I shall convey the strong feelings of the members to him and an early solution will be found soon,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu told the House.
He was replying to questions raised by Dhramendra Yadav of the Samajwadi Party and Pappu Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal during Zero Hour. The two leaders condemned the lathi charge on agitating students amid cries of ‘shame, shame’ from the Opposition benches.
Naidu said it was not a political or partisan ‘Hindi or non-Hindi’ issue, but concerned regional languages also. A “balanced and mutually acceptable” view needs to be taken, he said, adding that some members in the Treasury benches, too, have raised concerns over the issue.
Pappu Yadav claimed that two students were missing, while three others were in hospital in a serious condition after the lathi charge. He also charged the Government with “doing nothing” despite giving several assurances to Parliament on the issue.
Students taking the civil services exams have been protesting against the pattern of the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), which they feel gives an ‘unfair advantage’ to English-speaking students, leaving those from Hindi or regional languages background at a disadvantage. They are demanding the scrapping of CSAT.