Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has urged industries and private institutions to actively use their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds to strengthen rural education, improve government schools and ensure children in villages have access to quality education and technology from the primary level.
He was speaking at the Greater Bengaluru IT Companies and Industries Association (G BITCIA) Vision 2030 – CSR Summit 2026, where he called for greater collaboration between the government and corporate sector to address gaps in rural education.
Karnataka Plans to Develop 2,000 Government Schools
Shivakumar said the Karnataka government has announced a plan in its State Budget to develop 2,000 government schools through CSR support.
He said quality education must reach rural areas to reduce the migration of families to cities in search of better educational opportunities.
According to the Chief Minister, thousands of teaching positions in government schools remain vacant, making corporate and institutional support particularly important for improving educational infrastructure and learning outcomes.
Companies Can Directly Build and Adopt Schools
The Chief Minister encouraged IT companies and other industries to adopt government schools and directly undertake their development instead of simply transferring CSR funds to the government.
Companies could support schools by providing:
- Computers and digital infrastructure
- Science and technology laboratories
- School buildings
- Transportation facilities
- Other essential infrastructure
He said companies would be allowed to retain their brand identity at schools they develop, including potentially naming schools after the supporting company.
The government, he added, would provide land and other necessary support, while companies could directly appoint contractors and execute construction and development projects.
Private Schools Also Urged to Adopt Government Schools
Shivakumar also appealed to managements of major private schools to adopt at least one government school and contribute towards its development.
He said private educational institutions could help improve infrastructure, teaching quality, computer facilities and laboratories in government schools.
The Chief Minister stressed that CSR should not be viewed simply as assistance to the government but as an investment in society and the future of children.
Focus on Rural Education to Reduce Migration
Karnataka has a strong education and technology ecosystem, particularly in Bengaluru. However, Shivakumar said the benefits of this development must reach rural communities as well.
He pointed to institutions such as ISRO, HAL, the National Law School of India University and the Indian Institute of Science as examples of Bengaluru’s position as a global knowledge hub.
At the same time, he said rural children should have access to comparable opportunities so that families are not forced to migrate to Bengaluru and other cities for education.
He also highlighted model government schools developed near the Tamil Nadu border and said similar initiatives would be expanded across Karnataka.
Students Should Understand Rural Life
The Chief Minister also called for greater interaction between urban students and rural communities.
He said he had requested the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, to consider introducing a curriculum requiring students to spend three days in a village.
The objective would be to help urban children understand agriculture, food production and the challenges faced by farmers.
He said students should learn how crops such as ragi and wheat are produced, how milk reaches consumers and the difficulties faced by rural communities.
Karnataka Plans Stronger CSR Monitoring
Shivakumar announced that the State Government would appoint a separate IAS officer to monitor CSR activities, including where and how companies are utilising their CSR funds.
The government intends to track CSR projects across the State and encourage organisations that undertake impactful initiatives.
He reiterated that companies would not necessarily need to route CSR funds through the government. Instead, they could directly execute approved development projects, particularly in government schools.
CSR Potential Estimated at ₹10,000 Crore
According to Shivakumar, Karnataka has the potential to attract nearly ₹10,000 crore annually through CSR investments across different sectors.
However, CSR expenditure in the State during 2024-25 stood at around ₹3,394 crore, indicating significant room for greater corporate participation.
The Chief Minister called for the available CSR potential to be directed towards priority sectors such as education and healthcare, particularly in areas where additional investment can have a long-term social impact.
He also highlighted the contribution of companies such as Infosys and Wipro to CSR initiatives in Karnataka and encouraged other industries to follow similar models.
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