Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday urged private school managements to adopt government schools in rural areas or partner with the state government to improve their infrastructure and quality of education.
Speaking at the launch of the "Namma Shaale Namma Javabdari" (Our School, Our Responsibility) programme, he said the government initially aimed to link 1,000 state-run schools with private institutions, with a broader target of covering 2,000 schools.
"Our government has implemented a new Corporate Social Responsibility policy. The management of all private schools in the state should adopt government schools in rural areas or join hands in their development," he said, addressing CSR representatives of private school managements.
According to officials, 15 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 206.10 crore were signed at the event for the development of 56 schools. Earlier in 2026, 18 MoUs worth Rs 85 crore had been signed to develop 33 schools. Another 12 MoUs, worth Rs 64 crore and covering 23 schools, are in the final stages of signing.
Shivakumar said children from rural and private schools should be brought together to ensure quality education and better opportunities for those in rural areas.
"We are thinking of linking a total of 2,000 government schools with private ones. We have divided the 6,000 panchayats into three categories. Initially, we have set a target for 1,000 government schools. This is only the beginning. Our efforts will yield good results in four to five years," he said.
Emphasising that every child in rural areas should be capable of competing globally, he added: "If we reach at least 1,000 schools under the CSR program over the next 2-3 years, Karnataka will create history in the country."
The chief minister said private managements could choose the government schools they wished to adopt and contribute according to their financial capacity.
"Make a decision based on your financial capacity. If you are unable to spend Rs 5-10 crore to construct buildings, that is fine. Send 10 teachers each with expertise from your schools to government schools and pay their salaries. Providing laboratory equipment and computers will also be useful. This is a kind of knowledge exchange," he said.
He also asked private institutions to give their buses to government school students instead of selling them.
Karnataka had an annual CSR fund of Rs 8,800 crore, Shivakumar said, adding that he had held discussions with companies in the state and urged them to prioritise the development of rural primary schools.
"They have already started the work. Now it is your turn," he told representatives of private school managements.
Shivakumar said he had also met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman along with the chief secretary to discuss the CSR issue. He said he had urged the Union government to curb the practice of companies registering in Karnataka but using funds generated in the state elsewhere.
"Some companies open offices in Mumbai, register their companies here and utilise the money earned here elsewhere. They release the funds and then take back 50 per cent of the money. I have requested that this practice be curbed," he said.
He said CSR-funded development work had begun in 30 schools in Bengaluru South district. Work had been completed in 10 per cent of them, was under way in eight schools and agreements had been finalised for 12 schools.
Citing Toyota's contribution, he said the company had helped construct 23 schools in Ramanagara district, investing Rs 10-15 crore in each school.
Shivakumar said private schools contributing to the development of government schools would be allowed to add their names to the institutions.
"We have allowed the government school in Hegganur, located near the Tamil Nadu border, to be named Hegganur Government Toyota School," he said.
The chief minister said the government had adopted a soft approach towards private schools and acknowledged the challenges involved in running them. He also noted that private schools charged fees ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh.
The government had borrowed Rs 2,000 crore from the World Bank for infrastructure development in Karnataka Public Schools, he said.
"The government pays salaries ranging from Rs 70,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh to government school teachers. However, the quality of education still needs to improve. We have given greater importance to the quality of teachers during the selection process itself," he said.
Describing education as a shared responsibility, Shivakumar urged private school managements to become partners in the development of government schools.
"One truth is that all of us, including you, are only trustees of educational institutions. We are here today, and someone else will come tomorrow. Only the work we do will remain permanent. Therefore, private school managements should become partners with government schools. This is a good initiative," he said.
Shivakumar links rural education to Bengaluru traffic
The chief minister also linked Bengaluru's traffic congestion to the concentration of employment and educational opportunities in the city. He said Bengaluru had a population of 1.40 crore and 1.20 crore vehicles.
While road expansion in Bengaluru stood at 8 per cent, it was 18-20 per cent in Mysuru, he said.
"Children take one hour to reach their schools. Employment and education are the reasons for Bengaluru's traffic congestion. Every father is ready to make any sacrifice to provide good education to his children. If those children get an education in their own villages, the pressure on Bengaluru will reduce," he said.
Citing a recent survey, Shivakumar said the state's urban population was projected to increase from 69 per cent to 70 per cent by 2047.
He also said the government would take decisions on infrastructure projects, including the Bengaluru Business Corridor and tunnel road projects, despite political opposition.
"Despite political opposition to infrastructure developments like the Bengaluru Business Corridor and tunnel road projects, the government will take bold decisions and move forward," he said.
Recalling his visit to Davos with Industries Minister M B Patil, Shivakumar claimed that the Karnataka delegation had not signed agreements on blank sheets of paper, in an apparent reference to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
"Instead, we invited investors to come to Bengaluru to discuss. Even though Chief Ministers of Himachal Pradesh, UP, and Andhra invited companies, businesses do not move out of Karnataka. The quality of talent, doctors, education, and environment available here is unmatched anywhere else in the country," he said.
He claimed that no company that had invested in Karnataka had suffered losses leading to closure or proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), apart from minor GST or income tax issues.
"If there are any flaws in our thoughts, vision, or programs, come to the platform, spend two hours discussing with us, and we are ready to correct them," he said.
