Students sit on floor, classroom in cattle shed: Karnataka orders probe into shocking school conditions

The Karnataka state government has ordered an official inquiry over the living conditions of 172 students at the Dr BR Ambedkar Residential School in Shantigrama, Hassan. The step was taken by the Karnataka government after local media reports and videos showed that 92 boys and 80 girls of the school have been living, eating and attending classes in a cattle shed. When investigated, it came to light that this has been the case for past five years even as the school authorities claimed that the construction of a new school building was underway. The students were from Class 6 to Class 10. Some reports claimed that the government is reportedly paying paying Rs 1.8 lakh as rent per month to the shed owner. The shed also does not have enough toilets for boys and girls and inadequate ventilation and limited natural light. Viral video shows students sitting on the floor to attend the classes. As the news led to widespread outrage, the state government was forced to take action against the school run by the Social Welfare Department.

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Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa has now sought a detailed report on the matter and termed the arrangement "inappropriate." “Whenever a new building is sanctioned for construction, temporary arrangements are made. But it is not right to make people study in sheds. I will seek details and speak. It is wrong to make students study in such a place,” Bangarappa said.

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Karnataka Opposition Leader R Ashok slammed the Congress government and questioned the availability of basic facilities for students from poor and disadvantaged communities. Ashok also demanded that the students be shifted to a properly equipped facility and called for an investigation into the expenditure. He warned that the BJP would launch an agitation if immediate steps were not taken.

Meanwhile, the Social Welfare Department said that construction of a new school building is currently underway. The department officials said the students were shifted to the cattle shed because an alternative building suitable for accommodating them could not be arranged. Education authorities are expected to examine the conditions at the school and submit a report on the facilities available to the students.