School enrolment in state-run institutions across Karnataka has fallen dramatically by 17 lakh students over the last 15 years, School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, 11 December 2025.
The data, shared in a written reply to BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar, highlights a pronounced shift in educational preferences among parents. The Minister attributed the decline primarily to the growing demand for English-medium education, increased interest in central syllabi, migration patterns, and the unchecked growth of private schools.
In response, the government has announced a massive, sustained awareness campaign running until June 2026, alongside comprehensive reforms focused on infrastructure modernisation, bilingual classes, and large-scale teacher recruitment to revitalise public education.
The Forces Driving Students Away
The staggering loss of 1.7 million students over a 15-year period confirms a systemic challenge facing public education in Karnataka. Minister Madhu Bangarappa provided a clear outline of the underlying issues in his reply to the Legislative Assembly.
The dominant factor is a sociological one: the rising parental aspiration for children to master English, leading to a strong preference for English-medium schools, regardless of the sector. This is compounded by an increased interest in central education boards, such as CBSE and ICSE, over the state syllabus.
Furthermore, the rapid, unchecked expansion of private schools offers parents a perceived superior alternative, while internal migration, often from rural areas to urban centres, further contributes to the emptying of local government schools.
Comprehensive Reforms for Revival
To counter this negative trajectory and rebuild public confidence, the government has committed substantial resources and implemented a multi-pronged reform strategy. The effort aims to make state institutions competitive with their private counterparts.
This includes a major statewide enrolment awareness campaign, scheduled to run from 14 November 2025, to 30 June 2026, designed to encourage parents to view government schools as a viable, high-quality option.
Crucially, structural reforms like the Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) scheme are being accelerated, with 309 KPS currently operational, and an additional 900 schools slated for upgrade to KPS status this year. These KPS institutions offer education from pre-primary to pre-university on a single campus.
Bolstering Infrastructure and Resources
The state is investing significantly in upgrading physical and digital infrastructure to provide a modern learning environment. Under the Samagra Shikshana Karnataka project, a substantial sum of $838.75 crore has been allocated for critical development work, including upgrading classrooms, repairing toilets, and improving school furniture.
Specific technology-focused interventions have also been detailed: 5,437 primary and high schools received computer labs in 2024–25, with another 1,072 labs planned for the 2025–26 academic year. Moreover, 3,862 schools are now equipped with smart classrooms, and 173 schools feature innovative labs, all designed to promote advanced and creative learning methods across the state.
Focus on Language and Vocational Pathways
A key strategy to address the demand for English is the extensive rollout of bilingual education. Between 2018 and 2025, the state introduced bilingual (Kannada and English) pre-primary sections in 6,675 government schools.
This initiative has now been expanded, with bilingual classes for Grades 1 to 5 operational in 9,522 schools, directly challenging the perceived advantage of private, English-medium schools.
Beyond general academics, the government is also focused on strengthening vocational education, which is now offered in 375 schools. Additionally, facilities for science learning are being upgraded, with science labs being installed in 489 schools and 614 pre-university colleges.
Addressing the Teacher Vacancy Challenge
A vital component of the reform is tackling the persistent issue of teacher shortages, which can severely impact educational quality. The Minister confirmed that large-scale recruitment is currently underway for a total of 10,267 permanent teachers, specifically, 5,267 teachers for the Kalyana Karnataka region and 5,000 teachers for other districts.
To ensure continuity in the meantime, the government has engaged a substantial number of temporary staff, including 43,526 guest teachers and 5,508 guest lecturers. These measures are crucial to maintaining the mandated student-teacher ratio and delivering consistent, high-quality instruction across all government institutions, which is essential to regain parental trust.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The haemorrhaging of 17 lakh students from Karnataka’s public education system is more than an administrative statistic; it represents a crisis of accessibility and equity. While the aspiration for English education is valid, the data highlights a systemic failure to keep state-run schools a preferred option for the common citizen.
The announced government reforms, the investment in labs, bilingual classes, and teacher recruitment, demonstrate an earnest intent to correct course. However, true change requires not just infrastructure, but a profound cultural shift where the quality and prestige of the state syllabus and the teaching fraternity are elevated.
