Karnataka SSLC: One in Five Students Fail Kannada Exam, Committee Formed

• Nearly one-fifth of Karnataka SSLC students (1.65 lakh out of 8.42 lakh) failed the Kannada language paper in 2024-25.
• The failure rate affected students across all language categories: first, second, and third language Kannada learners.
• The Kannada Development Authority formed a committee, chaired by Professor Purushotham Bilimale, to investigate the high failure rate.
• Key issues identified include weak foundational learning in early school years and a severe shortage of trained Kannada teachers.
• District-wise disparities (e.g., Mysuru 68% pass, coastal districts >90%) highlight that home language exposure alone is insufficient without effective classroom instruction.

Why It Matters: A significant number of Karnataka SSLC students failed Kannada, prompting a committee to address foundational learning and teacher training gaps.