Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar engaged with schoolchildren from BBMP institutions on Children’s Day at Vidhana Soudha, responding to an array of thought-provoking questions on politics, education, and policies.
The interaction saw students directly address state leaders, with one class seven student, Vidya Sagar, asking what he should study to become the chief minister of the state. Shivakumar, the state Congress party chief nurturing ambitions for the chief minister's chair, responded to the question amid laughter: “In a democracy, anyone can achieve anything. A good education, reasonable financial stability, and leadership skills will set you on that path.”
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, 76, leads a Congress government in the state from 2023.
The Children’s Day program gave students a platform to lead and moderate discussions with senior officials, offering them a rare hands-on experience in public speaking and leadership. “You are all talking confidently with the CM, DCM, and IAS officers. Aim to become future leaders yourselves,” Shivakumar encouraged.
Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, son of former chief minister late S Bangarappa, was also present at the event.
Another student raised the issue of free bus rides, which are currently provided only to girls. Charan questioned why such benefits aren’t extended to boys. In response, Shivakumar hinted that the government might consider expanding these schemes for specific age groups.
Addressing concerns about educational access in rural areas, Shivakumar revealed plans to establish 2,000 new schools in Karnataka’s villages, supported by corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds, which he hopes will bring quality education closer to home for rural students.
Shivakumar also fielded questions on environmental challenges. When Ajit M, a class nine student, asked about pollution, Shivakumar acknowledged the issue of vehicular emissions in Bengaluru and assured students that steps were being taken to shift industries beyond city limits while promoting electric vehicles to mitigate pollution.
“There is a lot of pollution in Delhi and other parts of North India due to stubble burning. Thankfully Bengaluru doesn’t have that problem. But we do have vehicular pollution. We are shifting industries out of the city limits and we are promoting electric vehicles,” he said.
Earlier, Shivakumar had said that Bengaluru roads are better than Delhi's.
Harsha, a class five student, voiced concerns about the quality of education in BBMP schools. Shivakumar responded that the state is set to implement measures to uplift over 46,000 government and BBMP schools through merit-based teacher recruitment and processes modelled on CBSE and ICSE standards.
Safety concerns raised by another ninth-grader Maheshwari led Shivakumar to highlight the government's goal of providing quality education across Karnataka so that students can study close to home.
Shivakumar also answered personal questions of a student who asked if he was a strict parent. He admitted that his political commitments limited his time with his children, though he has always prioritised their education.
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