Students protest Karnataka school closure, pending scholarships

NEW DELHI: The All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO) organised a protest over closure of 6,000 Karnataka government schools. The student protest was held at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, where activists also gathered to demand scholarships for all eligible students.

Justice Santosh Hegde, retired SC Justice condemned the government for failing to fulfill its promises. He said that education and healthcare are fundamental responsibilities of the government and that financial constraints should not be used as an excuse to deny scholarships.

Hegde suggested that if the government claims a lack of funds, legislators and ministers should contribute their salaries to support students. Justice Hegde also stressed that the closure of Karnataka schools is not because of low enrollment but due to the lack of basic facilities.

‘Privatization and inequality in education’

Social activist Ugranarsimhegowda criticised the growing privatization of education, arguing that it fosters inequality and disadvantages students from marginalized backgrounds. He accused the government of neglecting students who rely on scholarships and called on both the central and state governments to meet students’ demands.

Despite widespread opposition, the Karnataka government has begun merging 6,000 low-enrollment primary schools, as reported by Bangalore Mirror. As per the report, under the first phase 8 districts including Shivamogga, Karwar and Sirsi in Uttara Kannada, have been identified for school mergers. While some districts have already submitted reports on selected model schools, others are still in the process of selection.

AIDSO survey reveals decline in scholarship distribution

AIDSO Karnataka conducted a scholarship survey among 3,000 students, that revealed decline in scholarship distribution over the years:

• 59% of students did not receive scholarships in 2022.
• 66% of students did not receive scholarships in 2023.
• 83% of students did not receive scholarships in 2024.

Earlier too, AIDSO opposed government decisions to shut down public schools. In February, the organization held a state-level protest convention against the closure of 4,200 schools in Karnataka. AIDSO leaders condemned the government for implementing anti-education policies and vowed to build a nationwide movement to safeguard public education.