Team Herald
MARGAO: The Global Romi Lipi Abhiyan (GRLA) has strongly opposed the Goa Staff Selection Commission’s (GSSC) decision to set Konkani examination papers only in the Devanagari script, warning that it could discriminate against minority communities in government job recruitment.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, GRLA stated that while making Konkani a compulsory for recruitment exams is intended to prioritise Goans in public sector employment, but restricting the language to Devanagari script would place minority applicants, particularly from the Goan Catholic community, at a disadvantage.
The organisation highlighted that Konkani is a widely spoken language with a rich history, but its development has been hindered by the government’s insistence on using only Devanagari script. “The Konkani language must be released from the shackles of a single script and allowed to be used in Roman script to make it more popular in education, government administration, and citizen services,” said Kennedy Afonso, president of GRLA.
GRLA linked this issue to a recent Supreme Court judgment delivered on January 29, which ruled that the concept of regional or provincial domicile is alien to Indian law. The court observed that all Indian citizens share a single national domicile, effectively challenging the Goa government’s requirement of a 15-year residence certificate for admission to postgraduate medical courses and government jobs. The organisation stated that this judgment could have far-reaching implications for Goans, particularly students applying for postgraduate seats at Goa Medical College (GMC), as well as those seeking government jobs and state welfare schemes.
“With the 15-year residence certificate now vulnerable to legal challenges, Konkani language proficiency remains the only safeguard for Goans in job recruitment and higher education,” GRLA stated. However, the organization warned that limiting the language to Devanagari script would result in an unfair selection process that favours one community over others.
The group pointed out that Roman script is more widely used among Goan youth than Devanagari. “Most people stop writing in Devanagari after completing school, whereas Roman script continues to be used daily, particularly in mobile communication and digital platforms. Ignoring this reality could effectively exclude a large section of Goans from fair competition in government jobs,” Afonso said.
GRLA further argued that the current system of setting question papers exclusively in Devanagari already places minority applicants at a disadvantage. “If the government truly intends to ensure fair opportunities, it must come up with a solution that protects the interests of all communities instead of enforcing a system that benefits only one,” the statement read.
The organisation emphasized that the government must recognize the role of Roman script in Konkani’s continued growth and adapt policies accordingly. “The use of Roman script has played a crucial role in keeping Konkani alive in the digital age. The government must acknowledge this contribution instead of limiting the language to a single script,” GRLA stated.
The organization urged the Goa government to take immediate action to ensure inclusivity in its policies and prevent discrimination against any community in education, public administration, and citizen services.