K’taka govt. issues circular mandating Kannada usage across all government departments
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has issued a circular making it mandatory to use Kannada extensively in the administration of all government departments. Chief Secretary Dr. Shalini Rajneesh warned that disciplinary action will be taken against officials who fail to comply with these directions.
The circular, issued on Wednesday, instructs all departments to respond in Kannada to applications and letters received in Kannada. It also mandates that nameplates of government offices be displayed in Kannada. Furthermore, all legislative proceedings, official correspondence, notices, and documentation must be carried out in the state’s official language.
Government orders related to appointments, transfers, and leave approvals should also be issued in Kannada. Dr. Rajneesh emphasized that even forms, record books, and templates provided in English must be filled out in Kannada wherever applicable.
Internal communication such as meeting notices, agendas, brief notes, file notes, and proceedings should be prepared in Kannada to effectively implement the government's language policy. The only exceptions to this directive are official correspondence with the Central Government, courts, and other states.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah observed that earlier instructions regarding Kannada usage were not being followed properly. He directed that any government file that lacks notes or correspondence in Kannada should be returned for proper revision and clarification.
He stressed that it is the responsibility of every officer and employee to implement the state’s language policy across all levels of governance.
The circular applies to all officers and staff in government departments, corporations, boards, local bodies, universities, and aided institutions. Strict adherence to these instructions is expected across the board.
Meanwhile, the move has been welcomed by the Kannada Development Authority. Its President, Dr. Purushottam Bilimale, praised Dr. Shalini Rajneesh for taking strong steps to enforce Kannada usage. In a letter written on Wednesday, he stated that the warning of disciplinary action has already had a significant and positive impact.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
