Bengaluru Government Schools Lack Benches and Desks After Nali Kali Transition
Following the state government's transition away from the Nali Kali system on June 1, several government schools in Bengaluru, including in East Bengaluru, are struggling to operate due to a severe shortage of basic classroom furniture like benches and desks. The sudden policy shift has left young students without proper seating, forcing many to sit on cold floors or write with books on their laps.
The transition was intended to convert government primary schools from the decades-old Nali Kali model—where Classes 1 to 3 learned together in a play-based, floor-seated environment—into mono-grade bilingual classrooms. However, while the academic policy changed overnight, the physical infrastructure did not follow.
In many classrooms across the city, children continue to sit on the floor, crouching over their books to write. Some classrooms feature teachers seated in the center while children lean against the walls. While some schools have small plastic chairs, the lack of desks forces students to balance their books on their laps to write.
School administrators are now forced to seek external help to resolve the crisis. A headmistress of a primary school in Bengaluru stated that her school plans to seek donations and corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding to purchase basic classroom furniture, noting that a minimum amount of furniture is required to make the spaces look like proper classrooms.
The infrastructure crisis is not limited to furniture. In East Bengaluru, a teacher reported that schools also lack sufficient classrooms and staff to separate the grades. With only three teachers available for five classes, students in Classes 1 and 2 are being forced to sit together in the same room.
While some districts like Dakshina Kannada and Dharwad are reportedly better off due to past provisions or donor support, many primary schools across Karnataka are facing similar shortages. In Bantwal, around 60 primary schools have already requested benches and desks, hoping for government support or donor sponsorships.
