Jan 13: Over 25,000 new COVID cases in Karnataka; 18,374 from Bengaluru Urban alone
Bengaluru, Jan 13: Continuing to report a spike in numbers, Karnataka on Thursday reported 25,005 new cases of COVID-19, and 8 fatalities, taking the tally to 31,24,524 and the death toll to 38,397.
The state, which has been witnessing a steady surge in cases since the last week of December, recorded 21,390 fresh infections on Wednesday.
Of the new cases on Thursday, 18,374 were from Bengaluru Urban that saw 1,132 people being discharged and 3 deaths.
The total number of active cases across the state is now 1,15,733.
There were 2,363 discharges, taking the total number of recoveries to 29,70,365, a health department bulletin said.
While the positivity rate for the day stood at 12.39 per cent, the case fatality rate (CFR) was 0.03 per cent.
Of the 8 deaths, 3 are from Bengaluru Urban and one each from Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Mysuru, Tumakuru and Vijayapura.
Apart from Bengaluru Urban, Mysuru recorded the second highest of 695 new cases, Dakshina Kannada 625, Tumakuru 547, Hassan 490, Mandya 406, followed by others.
Bengaluru Urban district now has a total of 13,53,331 positive cases, followed by Mysuru 1,83,420 and Tumakuru 1,23,392.
According to the bulletin, Bengaluru Urban tops the list among discharges with 12,46,001, followed by Mysuru 1,78,168 and Tumakuru 1,20,259.
Cumulatively, a total of 5,83,71,357 samples have been tested, of which 2,01,704 were on Thursday alone.
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Explainer: CBSE's three-language formula for Class 9; What does it mean, what changes?
New Delhi (PTI): Two months after beginning of the 2026-27 academic session, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has notified implementation of the three-language formula for Class 9 from July 1, 2026.
Here is an explainer of what the formula is:
1. What is three-language formula?
The three-language formula in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recommends that students learn three languages, at least two of which must be native to India. This formula applies to both government and private schools, giving states the flexibility to choose languages without any imposition.
2. What is the history of three-language formula?
The formula was first proposed by the Education Commission (1964-66), officially known as the Kothari Commission. It was formally adopted in the National Policy on Education (NPE) 1968 under then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The policy was reaffirmed in NPE 1986 under PM Rajiv Gandhi and revised in 1992 by Narasimha Rao’s Congress government to promote linguistic diversity and national unity.
The formula included three languages -- mother tongue or regional language, official language and a modern Indian or European language.
3. What does NEP 2020 say about the three-language formula?
The NEP proposes an “early implementation of the three-language formula to promote multilingualism" from the school level. The document states that the three-language formula will continue to be implemented "while keeping in mind the constitutional provisions, aspirations of the people, regions, and the Union, and the need to promote multilingualism as well as promote national unity”.
However, the NEP also states that there will be greater flexibility in the three-language formula, and no language will be imposed on any state.
The policy states that the three languages learned by children will be the choices of states, regions, and of course, the students themselves, so long as at least two of the three languages are native to India.
4. What about foreign languages?
According to NEP 2020, in addition to Indian languages and English, students at the secondary level can also learn Korean, Japanese, French, German and Spanish, among other foreign languages.
However, a key shift in the curriculum is the classification of English as a foreign language, with the Board allowing only one foreign language within the three-language framework. This could restrict students from choosing both English and another foreign language as their second and third languages.
5. Are books ready?
The board has said till the dedicated R3 textbooks are available, Class 9 students shall use the Class 6 R3 textbooks (2026-27 edition) of the chosen language.
The board has further said schools facing a shortage of adequately-qualified native Indian language teachers may, as an interim arrangement, engage existing teachers of other subjects who possess functional proficiency in the language concerned.
6. What is the controversy about three language formula?
The three-language formula has been at the centre of the political row between the former DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and the Centre.
The state has historically opposed the three-language formula. In 1937, the then Madras government, headed by C Rajagopalachari, introduced compulsory Hindi in schools. This move sparked widespread protests by the Justice Party and Dravidian leaders like Periyar. The policy was revoked in 1940, but anti-Hindi sentiments persisted.
When the three-language formula was introduced in 1968, Tamil Nadu opposed it, seeing it as an attempt to impose Hindi. Under Chief Minister C N Annadurai, the state adopted a two-language policy, teaching only Tamil and English.
Tamil Nadu remains the only state that has never implemented the three-language formula, choosing English over Indian languages, including Hindi and other regional languages.
