New Delhi/Bengaluru, July 10 (IANS) Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi on Friday accused the Karnataka government of pushing thousands of government schools towards closure due to what he described as administrative failure, claiming that student enrolment has witnessed a sharp decline under the Congress government.

In a statement, Joshi alleged that since the Congress party came to power in Karnataka, the government had remained preoccupied with internal power struggles instead of governance, adversely affecting the education sector.

“The Congress government has displayed administrative bankruptcy by bringing thousands of government schools, which have long served as a lifeline for poor and middle-class children, to the verge of closure,” he said.

Referring to the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report, Joshi claimed that enrolment in government schools has been declining every year.

“The UDISE+ report itself reveals that the number of students in thousands of government schools across the state has been steadily decreasing year after year,” he said, expressing concern over the trend.

According to Joshi, nearly 2.12 lakh students have left government schools over the past three years, which he described as evidence of the state government’s failure to strengthen public education.

“Instead of improving government schools, the Congress government has pushed them towards closure. This is its biggest achievement,” he alleged.

Citing enrolment figures, Union Minister Joshi said government school enrolment stood at 1,19,26,303 in the 2023-24 academic year. It declined to 1,17,80,251 in 2024-25, a drop of 1,46,052 students. In 2025-26, enrolment fell by another 66,037 students to 1,17,14,214.

“The government should be strengthening public schools, but instead it is playing with the future of children,” he alleged.

Joshi further claimed that while government schools were struggling due to inadequate basic infrastructure, Karnataka was simultaneously emerging as a “drug hub”, which he described as a matter of serious concern.

“The younger generation is being led astray and is increasingly falling prey to drug networks and anti-social activities. Instead of protecting students and society, the government is engrossed in internal conflicts, power struggles and the pursuit of political office,” he alleged.

–IANS

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