Karnataka to launch bilingual English‑Kannada classes in all government schools from 2027‑28

Karnataka will introduce bilingual English‑Kannada classes in every government primary and high school from the 2027‑28 academic year. The move was announced by School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa at a CSR meeting of industrialists and CEOs in Vidhana Soudha. The state runs 46,757 government schools serving about 43 lakh students, and the plan covers classes from grade 1 onward. Bangarappa said the rollout follows a trial that has already reached 9,522 schools for grades 1‑5 and 7,500 schools for LKG‑UKG. He noted that enrollment in the pilot bilingual sections has been encouraging. To staff the expanded programme, the government will recruit roughly 10,000 teachers within the next three to four months and train them alongside existing staff. The recruitment and training are aimed at ensuring teachers can deliver both English and Kannada effectively. Earlier this year, LKG and UKG classes were added in 1,008 schools in the Kalyana Karnataka region, attracting 48,000 students in just 42 days, a step that previously helped draw families back to government schools. ## Context The bilingual push aligns with Karnataka’s broader effort to improve language skills and retain students in the public system, using English to broaden opportunities while preserving the regional language.