The Karnataka State Education Policy (SEP) Commission, led by former University Grants Commission chairman Sukhadeo Thorat, has submitted its report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, recommending a two-language policy in school education.
This marks a departure from the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s three-language formula which the state government has formally rejected.
According to the SEP panel’s recommendations, Kannada or the student’s mother tongue should be the medium of instruction up to Class 5 with the option to extend it through Class 12.
The two compulsory languages would be Kannada or the mother tongue and English. To facilitate this transition, the panel has proposed teacher training in bilingual methods and the creation of a dedicated Language Teaching Centre.Further, it recommends extending the Right to Education Act’s coverage from the current 6–14 years to 4–18 years.
Other proposals include reducing reliance on NCERT textbooks, creating a state-specific curriculum under a new Council for Curriculum and School Education (CCSE) imposing stricter regulations on private schools and transforming the Department of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT) into an autonomous State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).
The SEP recommendations have drawn political reactions. On Saturday, BJP leader and Chitradurga MP Govind Karjol criticised the move warning that abandoning the NEP could deprive underprivileged and Dalit students of opportunities to compete at state, national and international levels.
The report will now be placed before the state Cabinet for consideration. If approved, the changes could significantly reshape Karnataka’s school education framework, impacting curriculum design, language instruction and access to education across the state.
