The All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) on Wednesday urged the Central Government and the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct the Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate courses (CUET-PG) in all Scheduled Languages, instead of limiting the examination to English and Hindi.
In a media statement, the association stated that the current language policy for CUET-PG is creating serious barriers for non-Hindi-speaking students, especially those from rural and regional language backgrounds. It pointed out that many students complete their schooling and undergraduate education in regional languages, but are compelled to appear for the national-level entrance examination in languages that are neither their medium of instruction nor their primary academic language.
According to AIOBCSA, this language restriction places such candidates at a systemic disadvantage, forcing them to compete in unfamiliar languages and affecting their performance in a high-stakes examination.
The association further emphasized that the issue disproportionately impacts students belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), minority communities, and first-generation learners. It argued that excluding Scheduled Languages from CUET-PG undermines the principles of equity and inclusiveness in higher education.
AIOBCSA maintained that denying students the option to take the examination in Scheduled Languages amounts to a violation of the constitutional spirit of equality and social justice, which guarantees equal opportunities in education.
Reiterating its demand, the association called upon the Centre and the NTA to ensure that CUET-PG is conducted in all Scheduled Languages, similar to other national-level competitive examinations. It said this step is necessary to create a level-playing field for students across the country and to uphold the vision of inclusive and accessible education.
The association urged authorities to take immediate steps to revise the CUET-PG language policy in the interest of fairness and educational justice.
