Karnataka Department of School Education

The Karnataka Department of School Education, also known as the Department of Public Instruction, is the state government body responsible for primary and secondary education across Karnataka. It administers government, aided, and unaided schools and frames academic policy for students from Class 1 to Class 12. The department oversees teacher recruitment, curriculum design, examinations conducted by the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board, and student welfare schemes. It serves over one crore students through more than seventy thousand schools spread across all districts of the state. Its flagship co-curricular initiatives such as Pratibha Karanji and Kalotsava recognise student talent in literary, cultural, performing, and visual arts. The department also implements national programmes like Samagra Shiksha, mid-day meals, and inclusive education for children with special needs. Led by the Commissioner for Public Instruction, the department coordinates with district education offices, block resource centres, and District Institutes of Education and Training to deliver education across rural and urban Karnataka.