BENGALURU: The Education sector in Karnataka has seen some major changes in 2025, sparking criticisms, debates and discussions around various topics from key stakeholders, including student organisations, educationists and associations in private as well as government schools.
As the year comes to an end, it is time for us to pause and reflect upon these changes and the impact they will have on children and their future. One of the important changes is the upgradation of 700 KPS magnet schools by merging government schools within one to five kilometer range.
Citing it as a violation of Para 3 of The Right to Education Act, 2009, which mandates free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14 years in a neighborhood school, student organisations and educationists criticised the bureaucracy and Minister for School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa.
Reducing pass marks from 35 to 33 for PUC students and 30 for SSLC students was another major announcement. Bangarappa stated it was decided after taking public opinion and the recommendations of the Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission into consideration.
He also said this will help children in Karnataka secure more jobs in the future, as other states have lower pass marks. Professors in higher education institutions fear that this decision would lower the knowledge and competency levels of students who aspire to pursue higher education.
Meanwhile, the 1000-page report on the State Education Policy submitted by a panel headed by Professor Sukhdeo Thorat in August is yet to be made public. It was only recently that Higher Education Minister Dr MC Sudhakar announced the formation of a review committee to review the report and submit recommendations.
Another major development is the push for English medium in government schools. In 2018-19, the HD Kumaraswamy government started English as a medium of instruction in 1000 government schools.
This year, more than 4,000 schools were added to the list. However, experts have highlighted the lack of trained English teachers in these schools. Unable to learn effectively neither in Kannada nor English, children are left in a lurch. Language should become a tool for communication, not a barrier to improving cognitive abilities of children.
This story is reported by Rashmi Patil of The New Indian Express.