Karate Trainers Protest Low Pay in Karnataka School Self-Defence Programme

Instructors assigned to teach self-defence to schoolgirls under a government initiative across Karnataka are facing financial strain due to low pay and travel expenses, sparking concerns over the execution of the safety project.

Under the 2026-27 self-defence initiative, scheduled to begin in September and conclude in November, trainers are required to conduct three classes per week. Over the course of the three-month period, an instructor will take around 36 classes, effectively earning Rs 250 per class. Trainers pointed out that travel costs between assigned schools must also be met from this same amount, turning the teaching assignment into a personal financial burden.

The scale of the initiative covers thousands of institutions across the state. The Centre has approved Rs 4.35 crore for 4,839 government high schools and Rs 5.08 crore for 5,647 upper primary schools. However, according to the Karnataka Karate Teachers’ Association, the honorarium offered to trainers remains completely unchanged from previous years despite increasing travel and daily operating costs.

Shivakumar Sharadalli, state spokesperson for the Karnataka Karate Teachers’ Association, highlighted the difficulties faced by the instructors, noting that while the government announced the initiative to ensure the safety of girls, the trainers delivering the lessons are effectively being forced to pay from their own pockets to travel between institutions.

The association has approached officials of the Samagra Shikshana department and submitted a formal representation outlining the issue, though it alleged that these concerns have not received adequate attention. Sharadalli described the present honorarium structure as unscientific, stating that the government must ensure trainers are paid reasonably if it expects quality self-defence training in schools.

To resolve the issue, the association has proposed a revised payment of Rs 500 per class for every trainer, along with an additional Rs 200 as a travel allowance. Instructors expressed concern that without an increase, qualified and experienced trainers may refuse the assignments, leaving schools without adequate personnel and weakening the overall impact of the programme. The association has also sought intervention from Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and other senior officials.