Grading for third language: pro-Kannada group wants governor’s removal for urging review, says he’s working for ‘Hindi mafia’

The KRV also condemned the “haste” with which the governor responded to a letter from an “unknown organisation” called the Association of Preservation of Local Languages, which objected to the Government’s decision. Gehlot wrote to the chief secretary based on the association’s letter.

“Karnataka’s education policy will be determined by the state government. We elected the state government for this purpose. Who is the governor to question this?” a statement issued by Gowda said, adding that any attempt to revert to the marking system would lead to a “blood revolution”.

On March 27, School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa announced a grading system for third-language papers. Around a week later, on April 3, the governor wrote to the chief secretary, stating that the policy would weaken linguistic diversity and reduce motivation to learn Hindi.

The Government says the decision aims to decrease the academic burden on schoolchildren.
Students can choose Hindi, English, Kannada, Urdu, Sanskrit, Konkani, Tulu, or Marathi as their third language.