Bill to protect properties belonging to Karnataka govt schools

Bengaluru: The school education and literacy department, in association with the revenue department, is introducing ‘The Karnataka School Education Department Properties Protection Bill 2025 or the Karnataka Protection of Government School/College Properties Bill’ to protect the properties belonging to government schools.

In a reply to a question by the BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in the recent special session of the legislature, School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa said that the proposal regarding the bill is under verification.

As per the details provided by the minister in his reply, the properties belonging to over 18,791 schools are under threat as they do not have land records in the name of the respective schools.

“We also conduct the Government School and Educational Institutions Property Protection Campaign every year. The deputy commissioner of the respective district has been assigned the responsibility,” the minister responded.

Of the 18,791 schools mentioned by the minister, 17,356 are primary schools and 1,435 high schools don’t have revenue documents in their names.

“The proposal to bring a separate bill to protect the properties is under consideration,” he said.

The state has 48,436 government schools. Of this, 43,564 are primary schools and 4,872 are high schools. As most government school properties have been donated, some people have even filed court cases claiming the land belongs to them because their ancestors donated it.

“Not having revenue documents in the name of schools has even forced the department to put off development works,” a source said.

Interestingly, Shivamogga, the home district of Minister Madhu Bangarappa, has the highest number of schools without land records, with 1,192. He is also the district in-charge minister. This is followed by 1,124 in Mandya, 1,063 in Tumakuru, 958 in Kalburgi, and 877 in Bengaluru South district.