A probe by the Karnataka Education Ministry has found that over 1,600 schools and Pre-University (PU) colleges have been operating in an illegal manner, according to The New Indian Express.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa declared that the state is now taking precautionary measures and the departments have been alerted about the issue and have been directed to take action against them for the benefit of the students who have enrolled themselves in these institutions.

Addressing a press meet in Mangaluru on Sunday, September 24, the minister said that managements that have availed permission to run these institutes, and the ones that are actually running them are different.

The minister also said that in order to make them work in accordance with the regulations, the permission to operate these institutions will be made strict from the next academic year. He further added that no strict actions or declaration of sudden closure will be made as it might affect the students as they are in the middle of the year.

However, he said, that these institutes have been given a notice period for the rectification of their violations.

Improving educational infrastructure
On reducing the heavy weight of school bags of the students, the minister said his department has come up with a solution to reduce the weight of the bag by 1/3rd compared to now. He also reasoned with the introduction of the Board exams for Class IX and XI, stating it will help them prepare well for the public exam of Class X and XII.

On the vacant position of teachers in government schools across the state, Bangarappa said that 53,000 posts would be filled and there certainly will be other marked improvements in this regard, and with this, 2,000 bi-lingual Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) will be opened in the state. There will also be one KPS School for every two to three gram panchayats.

Answering a query, the minister also said that a few PU colleges who are conducting classes for 12 hours a day will be kept in check and such transgression of rules will not be accepted anymore.