The Karnataka government will extend Kannada-English bilingual education to all government primary and high schools by June 2027, with the programme scheduled to begin in the 2027-28 academic year.
School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa announced the decision at a meeting on corporate social responsibility (CSR) partnerships in the state's education system. The expansion will cover 46,757 government primary and high schools, which together enrol approximately 43 lakh students.
The government had initially planned to introduce bilingual classes across all schools during the 2026-27 academic year. However, it deferred the statewide rollout because teachers needed specialised training to teach through both languages.
Bangarappa said the government had initiated the recruitment of approximately 10,000 teachers, a process expected to take three to four months. Both newly recruited and existing teachers will receive training before the programme begins across the state.
“Therefore, bilingual classes will be implemented in all government schools across the State from the next academic year,” the minister said.
9,522 schools already offer bilingual classes
Karnataka currently has bilingual classes for students from Classes 1 to 5 in 9,522 government schools. The government has also introduced LKG and UKG classes in approximately 7,500 schools.
The proposed expansion will extend the existing programme to schools that do not yet offer bilingual instruction. The government plans to introduce the classes from Class 1, allowing students to receive instruction in Kannada and English.
The initiative builds on Karnataka's earlier efforts to expand English-medium education in government schools. The state introduced English-medium sections in selected schools in 2018-19, with the programme subsequently extended to more institutions.
According to the Karnataka Economic Survey 2025-26, the state had 9,523 English-medium bilingual sections. It also reported that 8,798 teachers received training during 2024-25, while 15,587 were undergoing training during 2025-26.
Teacher training programme to cover 65,000 educators
The state has also started a year-long academic support programme for around 65,000 teachers to strengthen bilingual classroom instruction.
The Directorate of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT), in collaboration with the Regional Institute of English, South India, began the programme in July 2026. It includes training in textbook-based English teaching, classroom communication, lesson delivery and strategies for addressing learning difficulties.
District Resource Teams will train Master Resource Persons, who will subsequently conduct workshops for teachers at the cluster level. The programme also includes classroom mentoring and online follow-up sessions, with implementation scheduled through March 2027.
The training drive is expected to prepare teachers ahead of the statewide expansion planned for the following academic year.
Pre-primary expansion also drives government school enrolment
The state has also expanded access to pre-primary education in government schools by introducing LKG and UKG classes.
Bangarappa said the absence of pre-primary classes had previously encouraged parents to enrol their children in private schools. The government has therefore prioritised the introduction of early childhood education in public institutions.
Last year, LKG and UKG classes were introduced in 1,008 government schools across the Kalyana Karnataka region. Around 48,000 children enrolled within 42 days of the launch, according to the minister.