AIDSO is protesting against the Congress government’s move to allow government acceptance. schools by private institutions

Students under the auspices of the All India Democratic Students’ Organization stage a protest at Vivekananda Circle in Dharwad on Friday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Hundreds of students under the auspices of the All India Democratic Students’ Organization (AIDSO) staged a protest at Vivekananda Circle in Dharwad on Friday, condemning the state government’s move to allow admission of government schools by private institutions and corporates.

Addressing the protesters, AIDSO district secretary Shashikala Meti alleged that the Congress government, which had promised to protect government schools, was implementing policies such as the Karnataka Public Schools (KPS)-Magnet initiative and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) deal that would undermine the public education system.

She alleged that the government had held a meeting at Vidhana Soudha on November 4 to facilitate handover of government schools to private institutions and corporates, with a proposal to take over 2,000 schools in the first phase. She called this move a betrayal of the people.

Ms Meti also criticized Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and government officials for allegedly making derogatory remarks about teachers in government schools, blaming them for the decline in education standards while overlooking flaws in their own policies.

She said the government is proposing that private institutions adopt three government schools each with a provision to name the schools after the receiving institutions. Other proposals reportedly included deputing teachers from private schools and providing old buses, laboratory equipment and computers.

According to her, the government should address shortcomings in public education and hire an adequate number of teachers, instead of transferring its responsibility to private entities.

Ms. Meti alleged that 14 government schools have already been merged with KPS at Hegganur in Kanakapura, Bengaluru South district, contradicting the government’s assurance that no government school would be closed.

She demanded an immediate withdrawal of the government’s education policy and called on the public to join the movement against what she called the “corporate takeover” of public education.

AIDSO district president Sindhu Koudi, district organizers Shantesh Nandikollam, Siddalingappa Chippalakatti and Ravishankar Poladi, among others, participated in the protest.

Published – 07 Nov 2026 21:43 IST