Karnataka: 50% school seats for girls, ensure fair admissions

In a historic move aimed at empowering women and promoting gender equality, the state government has announced a 50% reservation for girls in all schools following the central curriculum, including CBSE and ICSE. This landmark decision by the Education Department will be implemented across aided and unaided private schools, as well as government institutions, excluding linguistic and religious minority schools.

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The decision comes shortly after the Indian Parliament passed a bill reserving 1/3rd of seats in politics for women, which will come into effect in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. With the education sector now following suit, the state aims to strengthen opportunities for girls from a young age.

So what does this mean?

According to the circular issued by the Education Department, every class in eligible schools must now reserve 50% of its seats for girl students. If the reserved seats are not filled due to fewer applications from girls, they may then be allocated to boys. The department has also emphasized that reservation policies for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Backward Classes must continue to be followed without exception.

In addition to this, to ensure a fair and transparent admission process, the government has outlawed entrance tests and interviews for both students and their parents. Additionally, schools are required to publicly display their fixed fee structure on notice boards, their websites, and the state’s SATS software, as well as in school prospectuses. Charging any capitation fee is strictly prohibited, with heavy fines and legal action set to be imposed on violators.

Furthermore, the admission schedule, class-wise seat availability, and all fee-related details must be openly published by school principals. Schools run by SC/ST managements are mandated to allocate 50% of their seats to students from those respective communities. Special provisions have also been outlined for the enrollment of children with special needs as per existing rules.

This progressive step is expected to significantly boost female participation in education and pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable academic environment across the state.