Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot’s office has asked the state government to conduct a thorough examination of its decision to replace the marking system for the third language in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination with a marking system that will not affect a student’s overall results.
The move came after the Bengaluru Local Languages Preservation Society submitted a report questioning the academic and systemic consequences of the decision for Class 10 students.
“I have been directed to send a copy of the representation made by the Society for the Preservation of Local Languages, Bengaluru, which has been addressed to the Governor of Karnataka, in connection with the recent decision to award marks only, without including marks, for the third language in the SSLC examination,” the governor’s office said in a letter to Principal Secretary Shalini Rajneesh.
“The governor took note of the issues raised in the representation and wanted the matter to be studied comprehensively, taking into account its academic and administrative aspects in the education sector,” the communication stated.
Concerns come from the perceived impact of change on the third language learning situation. The representative considered that these topics play a role in promoting linguistic diversity and intellectual development, and warned that removing grades may reduce students’ motivation and weaken their participation.
The policy shift was announced on March 27, surprising many and sparking criticism over its timing. The government emphasized that the idea was to relieve academic pressure on students.
School Education and Literacy Eradication Minister S. Madhu Bangarappa said the SSLC exam scored a total of 625 marks for six subjects, including 100 marks for the third language.
The change will reduce the total marks to 525 in five subjects. Subject Six, the third language, will be evaluated through grades and excluded from the pass or fail criteria.
Bangarappa said the decision was made based on performance trends.
Of the 164,000 students who could not pass secondary school exams in 2024-25 in Karnataka, the vast majority, 146,000, failed their third language exams, according to state data. He said this revealed widespread difficulty with the subject and justified the shift to grades to protect students’ interests.
The change applies to a range of third languages, including Hindi, Kannada, English, Arabic, Urdu, Sanskrit, Konkani, Tulu and Marathi.
Data for the current academic year shows that a vast majority of students – 7,52,398 out of 8,07,962 – chose Hindi as their third language.
The move has led to a broader debate about language policy in the state. Kannada organizations had earlier threatened to protest, arguing that Hindi was imposed and was affecting the prospects of students. The Kannada Development Authority and the State Education Policy Committee have recommended moving towards a bilingual system.
Some view the current change as a step in this direction. After the committee submitted its report in 2025, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed support for a bilingual formula, although it has not yet been implemented.
At the same time, opposition leaders criticized this policy. BJP leaders, including Opposition Leader R. Ashok, the resolution, declaring that the BJP will restore the previous regime when it returns to power. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje also described the move as “anti-India”.
