Bengaluru: Now casting a vote may well be a way to ‘gift’ marks to your children at school! The Karnataka Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools (KAMS), which has got more than 3,000 member schools in the state, has initiated a campaign named ‘Marks for Vote’ in a bid to do their bit to encourage more citizens exercise their franchise. Roughly, over 15 lakh students have been enrolled in these schools.
Students stand a chance to score four extra marks if their parents vote, said D. Shashikumar, general secretary of KAMS.
“Schools will record the details of parents against the student details once the parents confirm that they have voted by showing the indelible ink to the school authorities. If both parents do the same, their child will be eligible for four marks and if it is done by a single parent, two extra marks will be awarded,” he said.
The initiative has had its pilot versions since 2009 general elections, where only a few schools were part of the same, according to KAMS. Over the years, more member schools showed interest and this time it is the highest.
Even school managements are equally excited as parents are, to ensure that the right message of being a responsible citizen is being sent across to the upcoming generations, Shashikumar added.
For Binduja V., a homemaker residing in BTM Layout, this move has pushed her to study more about the history of elections. “I have asked my kids to answer some questions on a daily basis, only if they get them constantly right would I go to vote, which in turn would get them some marks,” she said.
