Aptitude tests will be made compulsory for government employees who have not studied Malayalam till Class X, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday.
A law amendment requiring government servants to pass the aptitude test before the completion of the probation period is in the final stages, said Mr. Vijayan, inaugurating 'Malayanma,' International Mother Language Day celebrations organised by the Malayalam Mission.
The State government is making efforts to transform the Civil Services Malayalam-oriented by inducting people with language skills and creating awareness among the employees about the importance of the mother tongue, he said. It is with this aim that a decision was taken to conduct PSC exams in Malayalam as well. The government also ensured that aptitude in Malayalam language is tested in the Kerala Administrative Service exams as well, he added.
The decision to test the aptitude is not aimed solely at employees from other States, but also Keralites who are not well-versed in the language, the Chief Minister said.
Mr. Vijayan underscored the importance of developing language-friendly software if Malayalam is to keep pace with technological advances. It also requires the involvement of society as a whole, he said.
Malayalam should expand by absorbing new words and idioms that are in sync with the times, he said. On the other hand, promoting Malayalam should not be at the expense of other languages spoken in the State. The government has adopted a policy of protecting linguistic minorities, he added.
The Chief Minister presented the maiden Kanikonna award instituted by Malayalam Mission to the mission's U.K. chapter. Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian presided. Ministers K. N. Balagopal, Saji Cherian, Antony Raju, V. Sivankutty and G. R. Anil were also present.
