In a sweeping education reform rooted in linguistic pride, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced that 900 Kannada and Urdu medium schools will be developed into Karnataka Public Schools (KPS), while Kannada teaching will be introduced across hundreds of madrasas in the state.

The announcement, made during the 70th Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations, marks a decisive step toward strengthening mother-tongue-based learning and preserving Karnataka’s linguistic identity in an increasingly English-dominated education landscape.

“The government is determined to make Kannada a language of modern technology,” Siddaramaiah said, urging scholars and experts to support the effort. “Neglecting local languages weakens children’s ability to think and learn. It’s time the Centre enacted a law ensuring education in the mother tongue.”

As part of the initiative, about 800 Kannada medium and 100 Urdu medium schools will be upgraded under the KPS model, with each institution receiving nearly ₹4 crore. The total outlay for the project stands at an estimated ₹2,500 crore.

The state has already introduced Kannada at the primary level in 180 madrasas, with plans to extend the programme to 1,500 in the coming years. Alongside, ₹483 crore has been earmarked for the development of Urdu schools.

Siddaramaiah emphasized that the state’s new language policy would aim to globalize Kannada’s cultural and technological relevance, preparing it for the digital age and the challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI). “Our goal is to ensure Kannada thrives in the modern world and that opportunities are not lost because of language or technology gaps,” he said.

The Chief Minister also invoked the legacy of the Karnataka unification movement, paying tribute to Aluru Venkata Rao, Kengal Hanumanthaiah, and others who fought for a united Karnataka in 1956.

Through this expansive initiative, the Siddaramaiah-led government is not only reasserting the importance of Kannada as a medium of instruction but also positioning it as a bridge between tradition and technology — a language ready to lead Karnataka into the future.