Karnataka's government plans to preserve century‑old Kannada schools by converting them into heritage institutions, urging every district to identify at least one such school. Mandatory implementation of Kannada across administration and public services is also reinforced.

Key Takeaways

  • Centennial government Kannada schools will be designated as heritage institutions
  • Each district must identify and develop at least one such school
  • Kannada will be mandated in all government administration and public services

Purushottama Bilimale, chairman of the Kannada Development Authority (KDA), announced on July 10 that Karnataka will convert century‑old government Kannada schools into heritage institutions. The proposal, unveiled in Chamarajanagar, aims to safeguard linguistic heritage while modernising educational infrastructure.

Background and Objectives

Over the past 18 months, KDA officials have visited 24 districts and consulted more than 1,200 departmental officers to gauge the implementation of Kannada in official work. Based on these assessments, the authority directed every district to compile a list of at least one historic Kannada school for preservation, renovation and integration into contemporary curricula.

Land‑Record Challenges

Bilimale highlighted a critical issue: approximately 19,700 government schools across Karnataka lack registered land documents, exposing them to encroachment once they cease operations. In Chamarajanagar alone, 115 schools are affected. He pledged to raise the matter with the state government to ensure that school lands remain under public ownership even after closures.

Language Training and Employment Initiatives

Addressing complaints from rural residents about language barriers in banks, Bilimale called for mandatory Kannada language training for bank staff and urged the government to conduct recruitment examinations in all 22 scheduled languages. He also reminded that a circular already mandates 40% of jobs in industries allocated by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board to be reserved for local Kannadigas, but compliance monitoring remains weak.

Future Directions

The chairman advocated for broader use of Kannada in public life: police stations, tourist sites and temple receipts should feature Kannada signage; doctors should write patients' names in Kannada on prescriptions; and Kannada‑medium instruction should be compulsory up to class 5 in public schools. Successful execution could position Karnataka as a national model for language preservation and inclusive development.