Karnataka makes Kannada must for CBSE and ICSE schools

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: The teaching of Kannada has been made mandatory as either a first or second language in all schools affiliated to the CBSE and ICSE, according to new rules announced by the Department of School Education in line with the Kannada Language Learning Act, of 2015.

This is however likely to trigger opposition from school managements. A NOC, issued by the Department of School Education, is a must for any new school or existing school to get affiliated with CBSE or ICSE.

Despite the 2015 law, the school education department granted no-objection certificates allowing schools to teach Kannada as a second or third language.

The new rules have corrected this 'anomaly'. The 2015 law was made by the first Siddaramaiahled government in response to the 2014 Supreme Court judgment.