School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa said the State Education Policy is unlikely to be implemented during the academic year 2026-27.

Responding to queries from reporters after meeting litterateur Devanur Mahadeva at his residence in Mysuru on Saturday and seeking his guidance for reforms in the education sector, Mr. Bangarappa said a Cabinet Sub-Committee has been set up to study the recommendations of the State Education Policy Commission pertaining to Higher Education.

The recommendations pertaining to School Education - which are smaller in volume compared to Higher Education - will be sent to the Cabinet next for discussions. “The recommendations (pertaining to School Education) will be sent to the Cabinet by mid-June after the schools reopen”.

After discussions in the Cabinet, the recommendations will be sent to a Cabinet Sub-Committee. “After the Cabinet Sub-Committee okays the recommendations, it will again have to come back to the Cabinet before it can be implemented,” he said.

Though the SEP can be introduced midway in the academic year, it may affect the learning process, felt Mr. Bangarappa.

However, he expressed reservations with the National Education Policy 2020, brought in by the Centre, and said the State government will not allow the Centre to introduce their “ideology” into the education policy.

He said the State government had already revised the textbooks in Karnataka as per the manifesto of the Congress party for the 2023 Assembly elections.

Hijab

Justifying the government’s decision on granting permission for hijab, Mr. Bangarappa said the dress code introduced in educational institutions in Karnataka is on the lines of the rules already prevailing in Kendriya Vidyalaya institutions run by the Centre.

Pointing out that educational institutions in Maharashtra too have identical rules, he said Karnataka cannot have a separate law. “As an Education Minister, I have to ensure equality. Our manifesto too had promised the same and I have to keep the promises made in the manifesto,” he said.

When his attention was drawn to the demand by BJP to allow saffron shawls also in the educational institutions, Mr. Bangarappa said let them go to Kendriya Vidyalaya with the shawls first and he would react to it later.

Educational qualification

Hitting out at the BJP for questioning his educational qualification, Mr. Bangarappa asked the saffron party leaders to show Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s qualification and he will reveal his.

However, he said he completed his Pre-University College (PUC) before gravitating towards business and becoming a film producer. Claiming that he gave several people employment while also forming a company, Mr Bangarappa said his attention towards his business had now been reduced due to his preoccupation with politics.

To another question, Mr. Bangarappa said he can speak Kannada fluently, but finds writing in Kannada a bit difficult.

He also remarked that he has more humanity, which his father had taught him than education, and he gives priority to children over God.