The Kannada Language Learning Act, 2015

(Karnataka Act No. 22 of 2015)

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(First Published in the Karnataka Gazette Extra-ordinary on the Second day of May, 2015)

(Received the assent of the Governor on the Twenty Ninth day of April, 2015)

An Act to provide and ensure learning of Kannada as one of the language in all schools in the State of Karnataka.

Whereas, a policy decision has been taken by the Government of Karnataka to ensure that all students studying in standards I to X in all schools in the State shall learn Kannada as one of the language in a phased manner from the academic year 2015-16.

Be it enacted by the Karnataka State Legislature in the sixty-sixth year of the Republic of India as follows:-

Short title and commencement.- (1) This Act may be called the Kannada Language Learning Act, 2015.

(2) It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by notification, appoint.

Object & Reasons6

Definitions.- In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a) "Academic year" means the year commencing on the first day of June;

(b) "Competent authority" means the competent authority appointed by the Government under section 4;

(d) "Prescribed" means prescribed by the rules;

(e) "School" means,-

(i) any Primary School, Middle School, High School or Higher Secondary School established and maintained by the State Government or Local Bodies; or

(ii) any Primary School, Middle School, High School or Higher Secondary School established and administered or maintained by any private educational agency including minority school established and administered under clause (1) of Article 30 of the Constitution of India, whether receiving aid out of the State fund or not; or

(iii) any Nursery and Primary School, Matriculation School, Anglo-Indian School or Oriental School including minority school established and administered under clause (1) of Article 30 of the Constitution of India, whether receiving aid out of the State fund or not; or

(iv) such other School as may be notified by the Government in this behalf.

Explanation. - For the purpose of this clause,-

(1) A School having any of classes from Nursery to X standard is considered a school for the purpose of this Act.

(2) Words and expressions used in this Act but not defined shall have the same meaning assigned to it in the Karnataka Education Act, 1983 (Karnataka Act 1 of 1995).

Kannada as a Compulsory Language.- (1) Kannada language shall be taught as a compulsory language in all classes, in all schools in the State, either as a first language or as a second language in the phased manner.

(2) In those Schools which are not teaching Kannada as a first and second language, as of now, shall introduce Kannada as first or second language in Standard-I from the academic year 2015-16 and in the standard I and II in the academic year 2016-17 and in the phased manner shall be extended upto Xth standard in a like manner.

(3) Every School shall follow Text Books Prescribed by the State Government for teaching Kannada as First language or Second language compulsorily.

(4) A student who has not opted his mother tongue (other than Kannada) as First or Second Language may study his mother tongue as Third Language.

Competent Authority.- (1) The Government may, by notification, appoint any officer of the Education Department not below the rank of Deputy Director of Public Instructions to be the Competent Authority for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this Act and the rules made there under and different competent authorities may be appointed for different areas.

(2) The Competent Authority shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be prescribed.

Competent Authority to be public servant.- The competent authority appointed under section 4 shall be deemed to be public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (Central Act XLV of 1860).
Power of the Government to give direction.- (1) The Government may, in public interest, by order, direct the competent authority to make an enquiry or to take appropriate proceedings under this Act in any case specified in the Order and the competent authority shall report to the Government the result of the enquiry made or the proceedings taken by him within such period as may be prescribed.

(2) On receipt of the report from the competent authority under sub-section (1), the Government shall give such direction as it deems fit and such direction shall be final and binding.

Protection of action taken in good faith.- No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the competent authority, Government or its officers for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or any rule or order made there under.
Power to make rules.- (1) The Government may, by notification, after previous publication make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

(2) Every rule made under this Act shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made before each House of the State Legislature while it is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule shall not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be, so however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.

Power to remove difficulties.- If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the Government may, by Order published in the official Gazette, make such provisions, as appears to it to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty.

Provided that no such order shall be made after the expiry of a period of two years from the date of commencement of this Act.

The above translation of PÀ£ÀßqÀ ¨sÁμÁ PÀ°PÉ C¢ü¤AiÀÄªÀÄ, 2015 (2015 2015gÀ PÀ£ÁðlPÀ C¢s¤AiÀÄªÀÄ ¸ÀASÉå: 22) be published in the Official Gazette under clause (3) of Article 348 of the Constitution of India.