The Kannada Language Learning Act, 2015

KARNATAKA ACT NO. 22 OF 2015

THE KANNADA LANGUAGE LEARNING ACT, 2015

(1) This Act may be called the Kannada Language Learning Act, 2015.

1. (2) It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by notification, appoint.

This Act has came into force w.e.f.22.05.2015 by Notification No.ED 242 PGC 2015, Dated:22.05.2015.

(See the text of the notification at the end of the Act)

(a) "Academic year" means the year commencing on the first day of June; (b) "Competent authority" means the competent authority appointed by the Government under section 4; (c) "Government" means the State Government; (d) "Prescribed" means prescribed by the rules; (e) "School" means,- (i) any Primary School, Middle School, High School or Higher Secondary School established and maintained by the State Government or Local Bodies; or (ii) any Primary School, Middle School, High School or Higher Secondary School established and administered or maintained by any private educational agency including minority school established and administered under clause (1) of Article 30 of the Constitution of India, whether receiving aid out of the State fund or not; or (iii) any Nursery and Primary School, Matriculation School, Anglo-Indian School or Oriental School including minority school established and administered under clause (1) of Article 30 of the Constitution of India, whether receiving aid out of the State fund or not; or (iv) such other School as may be notified by the Government in this behalf. Explanation. - For the purpose of this clause,- (1) A School having any of classes from Nursery to X standard is considered a school for the purpose of this Act. (2) Words and expressions used in this Act but not defined shall have the same meaning assigned to it in the Karnataka Education Act, 1983 (Karnataka Act 1 of 1995).

(1) Kannada language shall be taught as a compulsory language in all classes, in all schools in the State, either as a first language or as a second language in the phased manner.

1. (2) In those Schools which are not teaching Kannada as a first and second language, as of now, shall introduce Kannada as first or second language in Standard-I from the academic year 2015-16 and in the standard I and II in the academic year 2016-17 and in the phased manner shall be extended upto X th standard in a like manner.
2. (3) Every School shall follow Text Books Prescribed by the State Government for teaching Kannada as First language or Second language compulsorily.
3. (4) A student who has not opted his mother tongue (other than Kannada) as First or Second

Competent Authority.- (1) The Government may, by notification, appoint any officer of the Education Department not below the rank of Deputy Director of Public Instructions to be the Competent Authority for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this Act and the rules made there under and different competent authorities may be appointed for different areas.

1. (2) The Competent Authority shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be prescribed.

The competent authority appointed under section 4 shall be deemed to be public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal

Power of the Government to give direction.- (1) The Government may, in public interest, by order, direct the competent authority to make an enquiry or to take appropriate proceedings under this Act in any case specified in the Order and the competent authority shall report to the Government the result of the enquiry made or the proceedings taken by him within such period as may be prescribed.

1. (2) On receipt of the report from the competent authority under sub-section (1), the

Protection of action taken in good faith.- No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the competent authority, Government or its officers for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or any rule or order made there under.

1. (1) The Government may, by notification, after previous publication

make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

1. (2) Every rule made under this Act shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made before each House of the State Legislature while it is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule shall not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be, so however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.

If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the Government may, by Order published in the official Gazette, make such provisions, as appears to it to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty. Provided that no such order shall be made after the expiry of a period of two years from the date of commencement of this Act.

The above translation of PÀ£ÀßqÀ ̈sÁμÁ PÀ°PÉ C¢ü¤AiÀĪÀÄ, 2015 (2015gÀ PÀ£ÁðlPÀ C¢s¤AiÀĪÀÄ ̧ÀASÉå: 22) be published in the Official Gazette under clause (3) of Article 348 of the Constitution of India.

VAJUBHAI VALA GOVERNOR OF KARNATAKA

By Order and in the name of the Governor of Karnataka

B.B. Pattar Special Secretary to Government Department of Parliamentary Affairs

EDUCATION SECRETARIAT NOTIFICATION

No :ED 242 PGC 2015, Bengaluru dated 22 -05 -2015 In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Karnataka Language

Learning Act, 2015 (No. 22 of Karnataka Act of 2015), the Government of Karnataka hereby appoints the 22 nd day of May 2015 as the date in which all provisions of the said Act shall come into force.

By Order and in the name of the Governor of Karnataka,

(H. S. HONNEGOWDA) Under Secretary to Government, Education Dept.,(primary).