21 hours ago
Enrolment in govt schools drops in Chamarajanagar during 2025-26 academic year
Mysuru: Enrolment in primary govt schools has seen a decline in Chamarajanagar city council limits during the 2025-26 academic year. Nearly a dozen state-run schools in district headquarters face a threat of closure due to a sharp drop in admissions this year.
Even though enrolment in govt model residential schools is increasing, including Adarsha and Karnataka Public Schools and other govt model residential schools, admissions in state-run schools in urban areas are declining every year. The majority of parents in Chamarajanagar urban surrounding villages prefer their children to study in English medium private schools, leading to this situation. Besides the quality of education, bus facilities and other attractions of private schools have attracted a large number of parents.
This is resulting in poor enrolment in govt-run schools in the city centre and surrounding villages, officials argued.
Zero enrolment at anganwadis
The anganwadi centres in urban areas of Chamarajanagar are also facing a similar threat of closure due to zero enrolment, as parents prefer their children to study in kindergarten. The department of literacy and school education has closed down govt-aided primary schools for boys in Chamarajanagar due to zero enrolment from last year.
Now, govt primary schools in Karinanjanapura, Ramasamudra, Jalahallihundi, and Banajigara Street, which all come under the limits of Chamarajanagar CMC, are facing closure due to poor enrolment.
Admissions to govt schools on the outskirts of Chamarajanagar, like Mariyala govt higher primary school, Kalpura, Lacchattipura, and AJ Colony, have also dropped to below 10 in this academic year. On the other hand, admissions to govt-run residential schools like Kittur Rani Chennamma, Morarji Desai Residential schools, KPS, and Adarsha schools are increasing every year.
The education department has adopted a lottery system for the selection of students for enrolment in these schools due to heavy demand.
Speaking to TOI, Chamarajanagar deputy director of public instruction Ramachandra Raje Urs admitted that enrolment in city-centric govt-run schools has been declining for the past three years, even though the department is making all efforts to attract students and parents. While he admitted that state-run schools in rural areas, including model residential schools, have maintained a good number of admissions, the DDPI said there is still a chance to improve admissions in govt schools in Chamarajanagar town limits.
Social activist Mahadeva Shetty of Ramasamudra in Chamarajanagar town urged the department of education and literacy to encourage the adoption of govt schools by private organisations and trusts in urban areas to improve the infrastructure. He pointed to PWD Colony govt-run school, which was also facing similar issues of poor enrolment three years ago, but now about 160 students are studying in the upgraded school.
He said that after the education department handed over the school to a trust, the basic facilities were improved. The trust not only appointed additional guest teachers to improve the standard of teaching in the school but also operated a bus service to pick up and drop off students, he explained.
