1000 new schools to get Govt aid from this academic year: Minister

August 27, 2011

Mangalore, August 27: All schools which have started operation between the years 1991-95 will be eligible for the government aid, according to Vishweshawara Hegde Kageri, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education.

Addressing the media persons at Sri Ramakrishna Mutt here on Saturday, he said over 1000 schools around the state will be eligible for the aid from this academic year.

The State Government is making all possible efforts to ensure that every child gets education in the state. “We have made the admission of all children aged 5 years and 10 months compulsory. Distribution of books, uniforms and other facilities for students have achieved considerable success”, he said.

“As part of the BJP led Government's education programmes, we have started this academic year with the slogan 'Proactive Administration for Effective Education'”, he revealed.

Answering questions about the implementation of Right to Education in the state he said that RTE was in effect 'in principle', in the state. “Central government has asked us to spend from the state treasury for RTE, but we have asked the Centre to fund it. State government has several restrictions when it comes to spending. We are also trying to maintain one teacher to 30 students' ratio” he said.

Responding to queries about continued donation menace in schools, the minister said that anyone can complain against institutions demanding donation with the DC or educational officers of the area.

However, ICSE and CBSE schools are beyond the jurisdiction of the state educational board, he said adding that State Government has demanded the centre to bring these schools under state education board to check the donation menace.

He lamented on the decrease in the admission in Kannada medium schools and ensured that government will work towards popularising primary education in Kannada. He also said that government is not allowing any new English medium schools in the state.

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Campus politics: DKS pushes to restore student elections in Karnataka banned since 1989

News Network

November 26,2025

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka is taking its first concrete steps towards lifting a three-decade-old ban on student elections in colleges and universities. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Wednesday that the state government will form a small committee to study the reintroduction of campus polls, a practice halted in 1989 following incidents of violence.

Speaking at a 'Constitution Day' event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Mr. Shivakumar underscored the move's aim: nurturing new political leadership from the grassroots.

"Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections," Shivakumar stated. "I'm announcing today that we'll form a small committee and seek a report on this."

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989, largely due to concerns over violence and the infiltration of political party affiliates into campus life. The ban effectively extinguished vibrant student bodies and the pipeline of young leaders they often produced.

Mr. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress president, said that former student leaders will be consulted to "study the pros and cons" of the re-introduction.

Acknowledging the history of the ban, he added, "There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities."

The Deputy CM reminisced about his own journey, which began on campus. He recalled his political activism at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College leading to his first Assembly ticket in 1985 at the age of 23. "That's how student leadership was at the time. Such leadership has gone today. College elections have stopped," he lamented, adding that for many, college elections were "like a big movement" where leaders were forged.

The move, driven by the Congress high command's push to cultivate young talent, will face scrutiny from academics and university authorities who have, in the past, expressed concern that the return of polls could disrupt the peaceful academic environment and turn campuses into political battlegrounds.

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