Utilization of Information Resources by the Competitive Exam Aspirants in City Central Libraries of Karnataka

The education system in India is evolving, with various government departments conducting competitive exams to select candidates. Public libraries have become crucial resources for students and job seekers, particularly in Karnataka State, which has 26 city central libraries. This study focused on five main city central libraries in Bangalore, revealing that a significant majority (82.4%) of competitive exam aspirants rely on Karnataka board textbooks for preparation, dedicating 5 to 10 hours daily to library work. Respondents also utilize magazines and journals in both Kannada and English, with notable Kannada publications including Sparda Vijetha, Sparda Arivu, and Sparda Vani, while popular English magazines comprise Chronicle, Competition Success Review, and Current Affairs. Key journals mentioned are Economic and Political Weekly, Kurukshetra Yojana, and Down to Earth. The study recommends enhanced strategies for public libraries to optimize the use of competitive exam resources.