CHIKKAMAGALURU: Minister for Primary and Secondary Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa said the state government would provide free notebooks and textbooks to students in Classes 1 to 12 from the next academic year.
Bangarappa made the announcement while addressing the gathering after inaugurating the newly constructed classrooms at the Melpal Government High School in Koppa taluk on Friday. He also said that along with the existing supply of shoes and socks, free notebooks and textbooks will be provided, besides extending the supply of eggs to students up to Class 10.
“To improve the nourishment of students, we will provide eggs in addition to milk and ragi. Around 57 lakh students in the state are currently provided midday meals,” Bangarappa said. The government has kept its promise of empowering people economically by introducing five guarantees, the minister said, adding that 13,000 teachers were recruited within 10 months after the Congress came to power.
Another round of Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) will be conducted on December 7 to fill the remaining vacancies. The process of appointing 51,000 guest teachers has been started this academic year. The exam system for Class 10 was changed and as many as 1,16,000 students passed out in the second and third supplementary examinations to enter the first year of PUC, Bangarappa said.
“The number of students who secured 625 marks in 2025 has risen to 51. Our government is contemplating to start 6,000 Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) – one in each gram panchayat – along with free transport,” said the minister.
Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited chairman TD Raje Gowda said the buildings of gram panchayat, anganawadi and five class rooms were built at the cost of Rs, 45 lakh, 10 lakh and 82 lakh, respectively. He said Bangarappa brought in integrated reforms in the education system after he became minister.
“Today, industrialists are coming forward to help the education sector. With the collaboration of Premji Foundation, 1,560 crore aid has been provided,” Raje Gowda said.