Karnataka Pushes Free Notebook Scheme For 50 Lakh Students

The Education Department in Bengaluru is seeking approval for a free notebook scheme for Classes 1 to 10 in government and aided schools. The plan aims to help about 50 lakh students from the 2026-27 academic year.

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Education department pushes free notebook scheme

Officials in Bengaluru say the Education Department is strongly pushing for approval of a free notebook scheme for schoolchildren. The department wants the Chief Minister to clear the proposal so it can begin from the next academic year. The plan focuses on supporting students from poor families, even though the Finance Department has not yet agreed to release funds.

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Proposal raised again before budget

Senior officials and the education minister recently presented the plan again to the Chief Minister during a pre-budget meeting. They argued that dropping the scheme could invite criticism because it was first announced on September 5 at Vidhana Soudha. The department has requested that funds be included in the March 6 budget so the programme can start from the 2026–27 academic session.

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Who will benefit from the scheme

Top sources in the department confirmed to 'Kannadaprabha' that the proposal is still active. If approved, students from Classes 1 to 10 in government and aided schools will receive free notebooks. This benefit will be added to existing support such as free uniforms, shoes, socks and textbooks already provided to students.

Officials estimate that around 38 lakh students in 46,000 government schools and about 12 lakh students in aided schools will benefit. In total, nearly 50 lakh children are expected to receive the support.

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Funding plan and cost estimate

The department has assured the Chief Minister that it will not seek extra funds. Instead, it plans to finance the scheme by preventing wastage and plugging financial leakages in existing programmes. Officials say this approach will make the plan financially manageable.

Under the proposal, each student will receive six notebooks. The estimated cost is about ₹75 crore, calculated at roughly ₹25 per notebook. Department officials are confident that savings from better financial management can cover the total amount.

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Finance department yet to clear proposal

The Finance Department has not approved the scheme so far. On January 25, it cleared five other proposals but kept this one pending. This delay has led to speculation that the announcement may be made during the state budget.

Education officials maintain that the proposal remains a priority and are hopeful that approval will come soon so the scheme can begin on time.