Kannada mandatory subject in Karnataka

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Bengaluru, Mar 31, 2015: Kannada language will be a mandatory subject in classes one to ten in schools affiliated to Karnataka board and a compulsory medium of instruction from classes one to five.

This is envisaged in the Kannada Language Learning Bill, 2015 making Kannada a mandatory subject in classes one to ten and Right To Education Act Amendment Bill which were passed by a voice vote in the state Assembly today.

The second bill amended Section 29 (2) of the Right To Education Act to change the provision "medium of instruction shall, as far as practicable, be in mother’s tongue" to "Kannada or mother tongue will be medium of instruction in primary schools" from classes to one to five.

The amendment would help the government in its arguments before the Supreme Court when the curative petition related to its language policy is taken up.

The Supreme Court had rejected a revision petition filed by the state government seeking review of its ruling which upheld a Karnataka High Court judgement striking down its government order issued in 1994 to impose Kannada or mother tongue as a medium of instruction in primary schools.