normally content that works on the page outside the tab content will work inside the tab content, and I have set up content in columns inside tabs for my own projects.
Is the columns feature provided by your theme or are you using a columns plugin? – which theme/plugin contains the columns code?
Are you able to make columns on your page which are not inside a tab? If so, the same content should work inside a tab.
If there is a difference between how the columns render when inside or outside a tab, please set up a test page with two sets of column content – one inside a tab and one outside the tabs so I can compare the output.
