The Karnataka government plans to introduce English-medium sections in all 48,527 government schools from the next academic year, extending its bilingual education initiative across the state.
School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa announced the proposed expansion on Thursday, November 5. The government aims to give parents the option of English-medium instruction within the public school system and reduce the movement of students to private institutions.
Bangarappa said parents have the right to choose the medium of instruction. The government had taken time to announce the statewide expansion because it needed to address the availability of qualified teachers.
The figure of 48,527 government schools comes from the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) data for 2025-26.
English-medium sections introduced in phases
Karnataka's bilingual education initiative dates back to 2019-20, when the government under then Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy announced the introduction of English-medium sections in government schools.
The programme has since expanded in phases. Around 2,000 government schools were permitted to introduce English-medium sections in 2024-25, followed by another 4,134 schools in 2025-26. The state currently has English-medium sections in 6,539 government schools, according to reports.
The first batch of students enrolled under the initiative has now reached Class 7. The proposed expansion would extend the option to schools that have not yet introduced English-medium sections.
The move follows growing demand among parents for English-medium education, with many viewing English proficiency as important for higher education and employment opportunities. The government hopes that providing this option in public schools will help retain enrolment in the state-run system.
Teacher availability remains a concern
The expansion will require schools to ensure that they have teachers equipped to teach subjects in English. The government has acknowledged teacher availability as one of the reasons behind the delay in announcing the statewide rollout.
The scale of existing vacancies presents an additional challenge. Data reported during the 2026 Karnataka Budget session showed 45,179 vacant posts in government primary schools and 13,045 in high schools during the 2025-26 academic year. The department had also employed 43,526 guest teachers during that period.
In April, Bangarappa told the Karnataka legislature that English-medium classes would be introduced alongside existing mediums from Class 6 in the 2026-27 academic year. The state has also been extending bilingual instruction through Karnataka Public Schools and other government institutions.
Education experts have called for an assessment of existing bilingual schools before the policy is expanded across the state. They have raised questions about teacher preparedness and whether individual schools have the staff and infrastructure required to implement the model effectively.