“It is a proud moment for me to receive this award from the Karnataka government for opting to study in Kannada-medium and topping the SSLC exam conducted by the Maharashtra government,” said Shivaraj Pattanshetty, who continues to study while working part-time.
Poverty has not deterred Pattanshetty, the only son of a widowed mother, to continue his education in Kannada. He has even opted to study in a Kannada-medium PU college in Sangli.
He was among the 320 students, who scored high marks in SSLC and PUC, to receive cash prizes, along with citations, certificates, watches, schoolbags and dictionaries from the Kannada Development Authority (KDA). Pattanshetty said owing to lack of Kannada-medium teachers in schools and PU colleges, many students with Kannada as their mother tongue were opting to study in Hindi and Marathi-mediums. “The Karnataka government should take up this issue with the Maharashtra government.”
The same sentiments were expressed by Bagyashree Kumbar and Savika Chandrakant, who also received cash prizes for topping the SSLC examinations in their schools in Jath village.Chairman of KDA Hanumanthaiah said he would take up the issue with the government to increase reservation quota from 5 per cent to 10 per cent in professional colleges for those who studied in Kannada-medium schools and colleges in other States. He said it was a matter of concern that many Kannada-medium schools have been closed in the neighbouring States. Shrikanta Shivacharya Swami of Bamalingeshwar Hiremath said Kannada-medium schools in Maharashtra should not be closed down for the mere reason that there were lesser students.
‘Owing to lack of Kannada teachers, many students with Kannada as their mother tongue
are opting to study in Hindi and
Marathi-mediums’
