EPS allows 21,000 applicants, who participated in the shipbuilding examination, to sit for another language examination

KATHMANDU, Jan 9: Those who participated in the Korean language test for shipbuilding under the Employment Permit System (EPS) will be able to participate in the language test opened for the manufacturing sector jobs in South Korea. The Korean government has decided to let all the applicants participate in the examination and has informed the Nepal government.

In a discussion held on Monday between the Director General of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) and the officials at the Human Resource Development (HRD) Department of Korea, the Korean side informed that more than 165,000 applicants, who applied for the language tests for the manufacturing sector jobs, will be included in the examination. A total of 21,254 examinees, who participated in the examination towards shipbuilding, have filled the applications to sit for the language test again.

Officials said they will all be able to participate in the examination. "The Korean side has informed us that the examination will be conducted in three phases from January 20," Director General Dandu Raj Ghimire said.

While 47,000 candidates will sit for the examination in the first phase, another 80,000 applicants will give examinations in the second phase. Similarly, an arrangement has been made to conduct examinations for the remaining 37,000 in the third phase.

Director General Ghimire said that they have requested the Korean side to provide additional tabs as the number of applicants is much higher than earlier. "Management is not easy as there are many examinees. But the Korean side is making extra preparations to conduct the exam as quickly as possible," he said.

EPS had opened the application on January 1 so that the examinees who had applied for the shipbuilding last Asar of Nepali month would be able to take the language test in the manufacturing sector as well. Earlier, only 4,000 out of 35000 participated in the EPS exam for shipbuilding held in the month of Shrawan.

Applications were invited again for the manufacturing sector jobs in Korea. But as there was a rule introduced to bar those who participated in the examination within the year 2023 from applying for examinations meant for the jobs in other sectors in Korea.

A total of 30,000 candidates who earlier failed in the shipbuilding examinations were not allowed to fill the applications for the EPS examination meant for manufacturing sector jobs.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the decision, a group of 18 candidates had challenged the decision at the Patan High Court stating that all those aspiring to sit for examination should be allowed to participate in the examination of the manufacturing sector as well.

Following the court order on December 21, the EPS Branch in Gwarko issued a notice to only 18 people to participate in the EPS examination. However, the High Court on December 29 passed another ruling, directing EPS Nepal Branch to allow all aspirants to sit for the examination.

Following the court's order, applications were invited again on January 1, allowing those previously excluded to participate in the examination process. Prior to this, participants in the shipbuilding sector engaged in clashes with police personnel, demanding the right to participate in examinations for other sectors as well.

Unfortunately, two youths–Sujan Rawat and Birendra Shah – lost their lives in Lalitpur's Balkumari on December 29 as the agitating youths clashed with police personnel. This incident forced the government to review its decision and allow even those participating in the shipbuilding examination to participate in the language test meant for the manufacturing sector jobs.