Kannada norms: Government wakes up to violations

Bengaluru: The many city schools, especially the CBSE and ICSE, which haven’t bothered to introduce Kannada as the first or second language as ordered to by the government in 2015-16, may now be forced to fall in line as the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has appointed  officers to see that the order is implemented across the state.  

The Kannada Language Learning Act 2015 underlines that Kannada must be taught in all schools irrespective of their affiliation and students whose mother tongue is not Kannada must study it as their third language.

With the law  being  implemented in a phased manner, teaching Kannada has been made compulsory till Class III upto now. "In 2015-16, this rule applied to Class I and in 2016-17  it was extended to Class II.  This year schools must teach Kannada upto Class III. But most of the schools, especially the CBSE and ICSE, have not bothered to implement this rule at all,”  said a DPI officer.

Aware of the schools flouting its directive, the DPI has now directed the DDPIs in every district to ensure that they fall in line.  With the rule applying to minority and residential schools as well there is no escape for any of the schools, according to the department. 

Left with little choice in the matter, heads of several  CBSE/ ICSE and international schools in the city feel it could be a problem for children from non- Kannada speaking families. ""Most of our children, who are from non-Kannada speaking families, are really  feeling the pressure. But as this is  state policy we cannot oppose it, " said a principal of a CBSE school in Electronic City.