K'taka CM calls on industries to partner with govt to boost rural education through CSR

Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has urged industries to partner with the government through CSR funds to ensure children in rural Karnataka receive quality education and are exposed to technology from the primary level.

He was speaking at the Greater Bengaluru IT Companies and Industries Association (G BITCIA) Vision 2030 - CSR Summit 2026, held here on Friday.

"We must remember former President Pranab Mukherjee, under whose leadership amendments were made to the CSR law during the UPA government's tenure. The objective of CSR is to ensure that we live not only for ourselves but also for others," he said.

The chief minister pointed out that in the state budget, Karnataka has announced a plan to develop 2,000 government schools with CSR support.

"Karnataka has a rich tradition of philanthropy. People migrate to cities mainly for education and employment. To curb this migration, quality education must be made available in rural areas. Thousands of teaching posts in government schools remain vacant," he said.

Stressing that CSR is an investment in society and children's future, Shivakumar said IT companies can adopt and develop government schools while retaining their brand identity, with schools able to carry the company's name.

"Support can be provided in the form of computers, laboratories, vehicles, buildings or any other infrastructure. Companies can directly appoint contractors and build schools. The government will provide land and all necessary support," he said, adding that firms such as Infosys and Wipro have been carrying out commendable CSR work.

He cited three government schools built along the Tamil Nadu border that have emerged as model institutions, saying such initiatives would be expanded.

Shivakumar noted that Bengaluru has emerged as a global knowledge capital, home to institutions such as ISRO, HAL, the National Law School of India University and the Indian Institute of Science. He said urban children should gain first-hand exposure to rural life, agriculture and the hardships faced by farmers.

"I have requested the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, to introduce a curriculum making it mandatory for students to spend three days in a village, to understand how crops are grown, how milk is produced, and the challenges farmers face," he said.

"People in cities pay Rs 30-40 for a litre of water, while farmers receive only about Rs 40 for a litre of milk. This contrast reflects the condition of our farmers," he added.

Shivakumar suggested that the management of every major private school should adopt at least one government school and help develop it, providing infrastructure and equipping them with computers and laboratories.

"The government spends thousands of crores of rupees every year implementing the provision reserving 25 per cent of seats in private schools for children from economically weaker sections. Earlier there were irregularities, including taking money for admissions. Such malpractices must be curbed," he said.

He added that a separate IAS officer would be appointed to monitor how CSR funds are utilised, so companies could directly undertake school development work instead of routing funds through the government.

Karnataka has the potential to attract nearly Rs 10,000 crore annually through CSR investments across sectors, he said, but CSR spending during 2024-25 stood at only about Rs 3,394 crore. "The full potential of CSR funds should be utilised in priority sectors such as education and healthcare," he added.