Govt school enrollment in Karnataka drops by 17 lakh over 15 years

The School Education Department has reported a significant drop in student numbers in Karnataka’s government schools, with data tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Dec 11 showing a loss of 17 lakh enrollments over a 15-year period.

The information was shared in a written response to BJP MLA and former education minister S Suresh Kumar, and the department said the trend underscores major shifts in parental choices.

Minister Madhu Bangarappa stated that the fall is linked to rising interest in English-medium instruction, a preference for central board curricula, demographic movements, and the steady expansion of private education across the state.

“The government is taking sustained steps to rebuild confidence in government institutions and attract more students,” he said.

A statewide awareness drive has been launched from Nov 14, 2025, to June 30, 2026, to promote government schools as a strong and reliable option for families.

The minister said the state has enlarged bilingual pre-primary sections to 6,675 schools between 2018 and 2025 to improve early access to English in government institutions.

He informed the House that bilingual classes for grades 1 to 5 are functioning in 9,522 schools, a measure designed to strengthen the competitiveness of government schooling.

Investments in infrastructure have also expanded. In 2024–25, computer labs were created in 5,437 primary and high schools, with another 1,072 labs being readied for the 2025–26 academic year.

Smart classrooms are available in 3,862 schools, and 173 institutions have received innovative labs intended to support creative learning.

Science labs are being introduced in 489 schools and 614 pre-university colleges. Vocational education is now part of the curriculum in 375 schools.

Under the Samagra Shikshana Karnataka project, ₹838.75 crore has been set aside to upgrade classrooms, repair toilets, and enhance school furniture.

Bangarappa said recruitment is advancing for 5,267 teachers in the Kalyana Karnataka region and 5,000 teachers in other districts.

To avoid disruptions in teaching, the state is currently supported by 43,526 guest teachers and 5,508 guest lecturers.

He added that Karnataka Public Schools, which run classes from pre-primary to pre-university on a single campus, are expanding rapidly.

A total of 309 such schools are functioning, and another 900 are being upgraded this year as part of a broad restructuring effort.