MLC Ivan D’Souza calls for inclusion of Konkani in KCET language eligibility
Bengaluru: MLC Ivan D’Souza has urged the Karnataka Education Ministry to include Konkani as an accepted mother tongue for candidates appearing for the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET). The appeal was made during a session of the Karnataka Legislative Council, where D’Souza highlighted the case of a student from Kasaragod who was denied admission due to her mother tongue being Konkani.
D’Souza shared that the student had pursued Kannada as her second language in higher secondary school (PUC) and completed her course with 80 percent marks. Despite clearing the KCET-2024 and qualifying for a BSc in Nursing, her application was rejected during the certificate verification process because her mother tongue was Konkani. The legislator emphasized that the student had also cleared the Kannada language test conducted by the Karnataka Test Authority and possessed a certificate confirming her residency in Kasaragod, a district in Kerala bordering Karnataka.
However, the verification officers disregarded her qualifications and nativity, insisting that only students whose mother tongues were Kannada, Tulu, Kodava, or Beary were eligible for seats in Karnataka's educational institutions.
D’Souza pointed out that many Christian families speak Konkani as their mother tongue, and the Kasaragod district alone has over 40,000 Konkani-speaking residents. He appealed to the Higher Education Minister to amend the KCET eligibility rules to include Konkani in the list of permissible languages for the 2024 entrance test.
This amendment, D’Souza argued, would ensure fair and inclusive opportunities for students from Konkani-speaking communities in border regions like Kasaragod, thereby fostering greater educational equity.
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Gunmen attack building housing Israeli Consulate in Istanbul
Istanbul (AP): A gunfight erupted outside a building housing the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday, leaving two assailants dead and a police officer wounded, Turkiye's Haberturk broadcaster reported.
The report said attackers were carrying long-barreled weapons. An exchange of fire with police killed two, while a third assailant was captured. One officer sustained injuries during the clash.
The area surrounding the building was quickly sealed off.
