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Pro-Kannada activists have called for Karnataka-wide bandh on Thursday, March 12 to protest alleged neglect of Kannada-medium schools in the latest state budget
Despite the call to bandh, there has been no official confirmation from the Karnataka government or the education department regarding closure of schools on March 12. (Representative image)
Are Kannada-medium schools closed across Karnataka on March 12, Thursday? Uncertainty prevails following a state-wide protest and bandh call given by pro-Kannada activists over alleged discrimination by the state government in allotment of funds to Kannada-language schools in the state.
The initial bandh call was given by Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj, who has urged supporters to protest against what he claims is the Congress government’s failure to allocate funds for their development in the latest state budget. He has alleged that the Siddaramaiah government of favouring English-medium schools while “neglecting” Kannada schools.
Despite the call to bandh, however, there has been no official confirmation from the Karnataka government or state’s education department regarding closure of schools on March 12, leaving parents and students uncertain about whether classes will be affected.
Protest Call Across Karnataka
Several pro-Kannada groups have planned demonstrations across the state on Thursday, with major protests expected in Mandya and Mysuru districts.
In Mandya, activists have planned a protest at Sanjay Circle starting 10am, where they are expected to block the old Bengaluru-Mysuru highway.
Organisations such as Kannada Sena and other pro-Kannada groups are expected to participate as well. Protesters say the agitation will focus on several demands, including special grants for Kannada-medium schools, filling vacant teacher posts and repairing government school infrastructure.
Another protest has been planned at Jaya Chamarajendra Circle in Mysuru.
Why Activists Are Protesting
Speaking about the bandh call, Vatal Nagaraj alleged that the Siddaramaiah government had ignored Kannada-medium schools in the latest Karnataka budget.
He claimed that around Rs 3,900 crore had been allocated for English-medium education while no specific allocation had been announced for Kannada-medium schools.
Activists argue that government schools are the primary institutions where Kannada-medium education continues to be offered, as many private schools operate mainly in English.
They say that without additional funding, teacher recruitment and infrastructure upgrades, Kannada-medium education could weaken further in the state.
Karnataka Education Budget Controversy
The controversy comes in the backdrop of the education allocations announced in the Karnataka budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah earlier this year.
Education typically receives one of the largest shares of Karnataka’s annual budget, covering government schools, teacher salaries, mid-day meals, infrastructure development and various learning initiatives.
In recent years, the state government has also focused on improving learning outcomes in government schools, introducing digital learning tools and expanding English-medium sections in some government institutions to compete with private schools.
However, pro-Kannada groups say that expanding English-medium education should not come at the cost of strengthening Kannada-medium schooling.
Who Is Vatal Nagaraj?
Vatal Nagaraj is a veteran Kannada activist and founder of the Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha, a regional political outfit known for championing Kannada language rights.
Over the decades, he has led numerous protests related to Kannada language protection, including campaigns for greater use of Kannada in administration, education and business signage.
Nagaraj is known for organising symbolic protests and statewide bandh calls to draw attention to language-related issues in Karnataka.
School Status Still Unclear
As of Wednesday afternoon, authorities did not announce any statewide closure of schools.
Education officials have also not issued a formal advisory regarding the bandh call, meaning individual schools may take their own decisions depending on local conditions.
With protests expected in several cities on March 12, parents and students are being advised to check with their respective schools for updates on whether classes will be held.
Karnataka, India, India
March 11, 2026, 2:42 PM IST
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