Karnataka Bandh: Schools, colleges holiday on March 22

Karnataka Bandh: With the Karnataka bandh set to take place on March 22, many parents, students and teachers are unsure whether schools will remain open. Parents, students, and teachers are unsure whether schools will be open or closed that day.

Pro-Kannada organizations have called for this bandh to protest the Greater Bengaluru Administration Bill and the incident of assault on a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) bus conductor for not speaking in Marathi in Belagavi.

The shutdown comes in the middle of the crucial exam season. The Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) exams begin on March 21, but no exams are scheduled on Saturday, the day of the shutdown. However, some schools have exams for lower classes.

Associated managements of private unaided schools in Karnataka have confirmed that these will go ahead as planned. The association is concerned that cancelling or postponing exams could disrupt students’ schedules. D Shashi Kumar, General Secretary of the association, saying, “We want to participate in the protest, but we can only extend moral support due to the on-going exams across the state.

Transport disruptions could affect students. There are likely to be transport problems as cab drivers associated with the Ola Uber Drivers and Owners Association have promised full support for the bandh, meaning no cabs will run.

Additionally, many of Bengaluru’s two lakh autorickshaws may not be operational, making travel difficult for students who rely on them for daily commute. While the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has not confirmed whether buses will run, limited public transport may make it difficult for students to reach school safely.

Also Read: Karnataka Bandh on March 22: What’s open and what’s closed