Education
Students Protest Against Government Plan to Hand Over Public Schools to Private Entities
Hundreds of students organized by the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) staged a protest at Vivekananda Circle in Dharwad on Friday to denounce the Karnataka state government’s proposal to allow private institutions and corporate companies to adopt government schools. AIDSO district secretary Shashikala Meti addressed the crowd, accusing the Congress government of betraying its promise to protect public schools. She cited the Karnataka Public Schools (KPS)–Magnet initiative and an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as examples of policies that could undermine the public education system. Meti said the government held a meeting at Vidhana Soudha on November 4 to discuss handing over 2,000 schools in the first phase to private entities. She criticized Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and other officials for allegedly insulting government school teachers and blaming them for declining standards while ignoring shortcomings in government policy. The proposal would have private institutions adopt three government schools each, allowing the schools to be renamed after the adopting bodies. Other elements reportedly included deputing teachers from private schools and providing old buses, laboratory equipment and computers. Meti urged the government to address deficiencies in public education and recruit enough teachers instead of shifting responsibility to private entities. She pointed out that 14 government schools had already been merged with the KPS at Hegganuru in Kanakapura, Bengaluru South district, contradicting assurances that no government school would be closed. Meti demanded the immediate withdrawal of the education policies and called on the public to join a movement against what she called the “corporate takeover” of public education. AIDSO district president Sindhu Kou di, district organisers Shantesh Nandikollam, Siddalingappa Chippalakatti and Ravishankar Poladi also participated in the protest. Published – November 07, 2026 09:43 pm IST
Frequently asked questions
What was the main reason for the protest?
Students protested the Karnataka government’s plan to allow private institutions and corporate companies to adopt and rename government schools, which they say threatens public education.
How many schools were to be handed over in the first phase?
The proposal would hand over 2,000 schools in the first phase to private entities.
What did AIDSO district secretary Shashikala Meti criticize about the proposal?
She criticized the proposal for allowing private institutions to adopt three schools each, rename them, deputing teachers from private schools, and providing old buses, lab equipment and computers, arguing it undermines public education.