Schools in Karnataka will remain closed for a full 10 days from today until October 18th. Why did the CM make this sudden announcement?

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced a school holiday from October 8th to 18th. The CM stated that it will take at least 10 days to complete the caste survey in the state. This survey involved 1.6 lakh people, including 1.2 lakh teachers and 40,000 other government employees.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a holiday in government and government-aided schools from October 8th to 18th. The CM made this decision so that teachers engaged in the social and educational survey, called the "Caste Survey," can complete the work. Officials said the survey, which began on September 22nd, was scheduled to be completed on Tuesday. However, due to delays in several districts, the CM and his cabinet colleagues decided to extend it by another 10 days.

What else did CM Siddaramaiah say?

CM Siddaramaiah told reporters after a meeting with ministers and officials that the survey work was supposed to end on October 7th. While some districts are almost complete, others are experiencing delays. For example, in Koppal district, 97 percent of the survey has been completed. In Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, 63 and 60 percent of the survey has been completed, respectively. The survey across the state has not been completed as expected.

How many more days will the survey take?

Siddaramaiah said that only 34 percent of the survey has been completed in Bengaluru so far, and 6,700 teachers are engaged in the work. He said that the Karnataka Primary and Secondary School Teachers' Association and Congress Legislative Council member Puttanna had requested additional time to complete the survey. The CM said, "The teachers' association told me that it would take at least 10 days to complete the work. Following this, the Education Department, after consulting with the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission, issued an order regarding the holidays."

1.2 Lakh Teachers on Duty

The Chief Minister stated that 1.6 lakh people were included in the survey, including 1.2 lakh teachers and 40,000 other government employees. The Chief Minister stated that the survey will take only eight working days and will conclude on October 18th. Teachers participating in mid-term examinations will be exempted from the survey.

Warning to Teachers Who Did Not Participate

The Chief Minister also announced a compensation of ₹20 lakh to three employees who lost their lives during the survey work. He warned that disciplinary action will be taken against teachers and government employees who deliberately do not participate in the survey. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who was present with Siddaramaiah, said that special classes will be organized for students to ensure that school time is not lost. He said, "The teachers have given this in writing."

The government will spend ₹420 crore.

The state government will spend ₹420 crore on this survey, which aims to understand the socio-economic and educational status of people in Karnataka and formulate future policies.