Bengaluru, March 6 (NationPress) In a significant development, the Congress-led Karnataka government has declared a ban on social media usage for individuals under the age of 16 in the state. This announcement was made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday while he was presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 during the Legislative Assembly session.

"To mitigate the negative impact of escalating mobile phone usage on minors, social media will be prohibited for those below 16 years of age," CM Siddaramaiah stated.

This declaration is part of a series of initiatives introduced by the Karnataka government within the education sector, aimed at enhancing the overall welfare, academic atmosphere, and growth of students, he noted.

Previously, Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa indicated that the government was earnestly contemplating a social media ban for school-aged children.

CM Siddaramaiah further mentioned, "To tackle students' mental health issues, a qualified mental health counsellor will be appointed at each of the 204 Block Resource Centres (BRCs)."

Additionally, the CM emphasized that stringent measures would be enforced to combat drug use within schools, colleges, and universities through awareness campaigns, rigorous regulations, and the establishment of support centres for students.

As part of broader educational reforms, the government has also resolved to elevate 184 Government Higher Primary Schools to High Schools and 50 High Schools to Pre-University Colleges, continuing the initiative outlined in the 2025–26 budget to enhance access to higher education for students.

The procedure for acquiring and renewing recognition for private schools has been streamlined by allowing online submission of applications and documents, CM Siddaramaiah announced.

To ensure quality education under one roof, the government plans to upgrade a total of 800 schools to Karnataka Public Schools. Out of these, 500 schools will receive funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), 200 through the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB), and 100 through the Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation (KMERC).

This initiative will entail an investment of Rs. 3,900 crore over the next three years, CM Siddaramaiah disclosed.

To bolster infrastructure, Rs 565 crore has been allocated for the construction of new classrooms and repair work in government primary schools, high schools, and Pre-University colleges. Moreover, Rs 75 crore has been designated for the construction of toilets and Rs 25 crore for procuring furniture for schools, as stated by CM Siddaramaiah.

The government will also allocate Rs 125 crore for the upkeep of government primary schools, high schools, and Pre-University colleges, with funds to be directly transferred to School and College Development Committees, he mentioned.

To implement bilingual education in government primary schools, an English language training program will be launched for primary school teachers at a cost of Rs 24 crore, as stated by CM Siddaramaiah.

In partnership with IIT Dharwad, Karnataka will introduce AI-based learning assistance for approximately 12.28 lakh students enrolled in Classes 8 to 12. This initiative aims to provide a personalized digital self-learning tutor at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore, CM Siddaramaiah elaborated.

Furthermore, the government intends to fill 15,000 vacant teaching positions in schools and colleges during the 2026–27 academic year, CM Siddaramaiah concluded.