Story perspectives

Karnataka CM Warns IT Firms Over Sidelining Kannadigas

By Drooid · Oct 25, 2026, 4:06 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar warned IT firms they could face state action for sidelining Kannadiga applicants.
The warning followed a viral video where a woman said IT firms rejected candidates listing Kannada as mother tongue.
Shivakumar said the government would act against any private institution deliberately sidelining Kannadigas.
In June, he announced plans to fill 56,000 vacant posts and give private-sector employment preference to Kannadigas.

History

Historical Context

In 1996 Karnataka enacted the Official Language Act, mandating Kannada as the primary language for government and private-sector employment. The act, backed by Chief Minister J. H. Patil, required 30 % of IT hires to be Kannadiga speakers, monitored by the Karnataka State Commission. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s warning to Infosys, Wipro and Bangalore firms mirrors the 1996 mandate after a viral video showed exclusion of Kannada speakers. The precedent suggests that enforcement actions could compel firms to meet the 30 % quota, reshaping Karnataka’s tech hiring landscape and reinforcing regional language policy.

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Story summary

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar warned IT firms they could face state action for sidelining Kannadiga applicants.
The warning followed a viral video where a woman said IT firms rejected candidates listing Kannada as mother tongue.
Shivakumar said the government would act against any private institution deliberately sidelining Kannadigas.
In June, he announced plans to fill 56,000 vacant posts and give private-sector employment preference to Kannadigas.

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