The All India Democratic Students Organization (AIDSO) and district-level committees working to protect public education will hold a divisional-level convention titled Nammura Shaale Ulisi (Save Our Village Schools) in Kalaburagi on Saturday, amid growing concern over the state government’s proposal to set up public schools in Karnataka by closing government schools.
AIDSO district secretary Venkatesh Deodurg and members Abhaya Diwakar said at a press conference in Kalaburagi on Wednesday that the proposed magnet school scheme may lead to the closure of several government schools in rural areas.
Mr. Deodurg said that as per the government order dated October 15, 2025, setting up one magnet school in each gram panchayat by consolidating students from nearby villages within a 3-5 km radius may lead to the closure of eight to ten nearby government schools.
They claim that if around 6,000 Karnataka public schools are set up across the state, more than 40,000 existing government schools may eventually face closure. This will reduce the state’s responsibility for maintaining the functioning of state schools.
Another concern raised by activists concerns the possibility of outsourcing the management of magnet schools. They fear that such a move may gradually pave the way for greater private participation in the management of government institutions, potentially undermining the principle of free education.
Activists also highlighted the severe shortage of teachers and poor infrastructure in public schools. In Kalyana Karnataka alone, 21,000 teaching posts are vacant while 59,000 posts remain vacant across the state, they added.
They said the objective of the convention is to mobilize public opinion and demand the strengthening of existing government schools rather than their consolidation or closure. They also expressed concern that funds allocated for education under the Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board (KKRDB) are mainly going to magnet schools.
Published – 11 March 2026 21:05 IST
