The Karnataka government is facing sharp criticism after reports emerged that 676 government schools had been shut down by the government. The opposition BJP accused the Congress government of betraying the people, saying that the government had promised not to shut any schools.
The government’s move invited a response from the former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai. He said that the financial condition of the state is poor, and the government is struggling to even pay salaries. He asserted that the government has already shut 638 Kannada-medium schools earlier and the move is “anti-Kannada.” He demanded that the schools be opened now.
#BREAKING | 676 Government schools shut down in Karnataka pic.twitter.com/GAk4FVE85i
— NDTV (@ndtv) February 11, 2026
Moreover, the controversy has acquired greater depth due to the fact that earlier there were assurances from the Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah and Congress leaders that no school shall be closed voluntarily. Responding to the allegations, state ministers said that no school is closed voluntarily.
Conflicting claims over school closures
While the state government claims in the report that no school has been permanently shut, facts on ground, as revealed by the Union Ministry of Education data presented to the Rajya Sabha on 4th February, reveal that a total of 947 government schools were closed in the state from 2020-21 to 2024-25. There has been a decline in the overall numbers of government schools from 49,791 in 2020-21 to 48,844 in 2024-25.
Further confusion has resulted from an order that was issued on the 15th October, 2025, by the Karnataka Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL). The order was regarding the establishment of Karnataka Public Schools and mentioned that the total number of government schools in the state was 46,174. This indicates a sharper decline in school numbers, particularly in the year 2025-26, when around 2,670 schools were shut, not reflected in the numbers presented to the Parliament.
Earlier, DSEL Minister Madhu Bangarappa informed the state legislature that there was no closure of any government school permanently during 2025-26. Instead, some schools were temporarily shut.
Falling enrolment and changing trends
The decline in the number of schools appears to be associated with a decline in enrolments in government schools. The enrollment in the student strength in government schools has reported a decline from 47.1 lakh in 2015-16 to 38.2 lakh in 2025-26. The decline is reported at almost 19%. The percentage of government schools in enrollment has reduced from 46% to 38%.
During the same period, enrollment in unaided private schools increased by 29%, growing from 36.3 lakh students to 47 lakh students. At present, as many as 25,683 government schools have an enrollment of 50 students or fewer.
Interestingly, data from the Union Ministry of Education indicates that there is a decline in the number of private unaided schools by a small percentage, from 19,915 in 2020-21 to 19,105 in 2024-25. The reason cited by experts is that schools may not have renewed their recognition renewal (RR) certificates. According to educationist V.P. Niranjanaradhya, nearly 98% of private schools in the state have not renewed their recognition this year, and those failing to meet RTE norms or obtain minority certificates may not receive renewal.
