Karnataka will implement the bilingual education policy in government schools across the state during the next academic year, School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa announced, saying the move is aimed at improving English proficiency among students while retaining Kannada as the primary primary language.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Bangarappa said Kannada and English will be used as the medium of instruction under the new model. He said the policy aims to help public school students compete with their counterparts in private schools and obtain broader educational and employment opportunities.
“Our priority will always be Kannada. However, to ensure that our children do not lag behind the global level, English will be used as the medium of instruction rather than just being taught as a language. This will be of great benefit to children in rural areas,” the minister said.
Bangarappa said the decision came in the wake of encouraging results from bilingual and English-language sections introduced in selected Karnataka public schools and other government institutions. According to the minister, these schools recorded an increase in student enrollment and greater interest from parents.
“Our goal is to provide quality education that prepares our students for global opportunities without compromising our linguistic heritage. By introducing a bilingual policy, we are ensuring social justice for children from rural and economically weak backgrounds who may not have access to English-based private education,” he said.
As part of the implementation process, the Ministry of Education plans to provide specialized teacher training to help teachers adapt to bilingual classrooms. Efforts are also underway to improve teachers’ English communication skills in collaboration with organizations like the British Council, Bangarappa said.
He added that the curriculum and textbooks would be reviewed to ensure an effective balance between Kannada and English education.
The Minister also answered questions regarding the results of the recent SSLC and PUC examinations. He said transparency in examinations had improved through the use of webcasts and monitoring measures, although he acknowledged there was room for improvement in academic performance.
Bangarappa said the government was focusing on improving the quality of education rather than just exam results, and expressed confidence that the ongoing reforms would lead to better results in the coming years.
The Ministry of Education is expected to issue a detailed circular outlining the implementation process, teacher training framework and academic guidelines for the bilingual policy next month.
