Karnataka to reopen schools for classes 1 to 5 soon

News Network
October 18, 2021

Bengaluru, Oct 18: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said schools will reopen for students of classes 1 to 5 in the state and the government will soon make an announcement in this regard.

"Already the experts committee has given the report, we will issue the order. Regarding, from when (to start the classes) and all those details, the Chief Secretary will hold a meeting with the education department," Bommai said. Speaking to reporters here, he said after the discussions, a decision on reopening schools for students from classes one to five will be taken.

With Covid-19 cases declining, the government had reopened schools for students of classes 6 to 8 from September 6, and for students of classes 9 to 12 from August 23. 

Earlier in the day, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh said that the schools will be reopened for students of class 1 to 5 on the basis of the recommendation of the state's Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19.

"If they say from October 21, we will start; if they say a week later, we will start a week later." 

Noting that the government wants to start classes from one to five in one go, he said, "but our plan is to have half-a-day classes during the initial one week or so, and thereafter full day classes, once students get used to it," he said. The Minister, however, said no decision has been taken regarding reopening schools for LKG (Lower Kindergarten) and UKG (Upper Kindergarten) children.

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News Network
January 23,2026

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot read only three lines from the 122-paragraph address prepared by the Congress-led state government while addressing the joint session of the Legislature on Thursday, effectively bypassing large sections critical of the BJP-led Union government.

The omitted portions of the customary Governor’s address outlined what the state government described as a “suppressive situation in economic and policy matters” under India’s federal framework. The speech also sharply criticised the Centre’s move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, commonly referred to as the VB-GRAM (G) Act.

Governor Gehlot had earlier conveyed his objection to several paragraphs that were explicitly critical of the Union government. On Thursday, he confined himself to the opening lines — “I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the State legislature. I am extremely pleased to address this august House” — before jumping directly to the concluding sentence of the final paragraph.

He ended the address by reading the last line of paragraph 122: “Overall, my government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the State’s economic, social and physical development. Jai Hind — Jai Karnataka.”

According to the prepared speech, the Karnataka government demanded the scrapping of the VB-GRAM (G) Act, describing it as “contractor-centric” and detrimental to rural livelihoods, and called for the full restoration of MGNREGA. The state government argued that the new law undermines decentralisation, weakens labour protections, and centralises decision-making in violation of constitutional norms.

Key points from the unread sections of the speech:

•    Karnataka facing a “suppressive” economic and policy environment within the federal system

•    Repeal of MGNREGA described as a blow to rural livelihoods

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of protecting corporate and contractor interests

•    New law alleged to weaken decentralised governance

•    Decision-making said to be imposed by the Centre without consulting states

•    Rights of Adivasis, women, backward classes and agrarian communities curtailed

•    Labourers allegedly placed under contractor control

•    States facing mounting fiscal stress due to central policies

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of enabling large-scale corruption

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