Over 12 Lakh Karnataka Students Await School Shoes as Distribution Misses July Deadline

More than 12 lakh government school students across Karnataka are still waiting to receive promised shoes and socks over two months into the academic year, despite supplies reaching several institutions in Bengaluru. The Department of School Education had directed committees to ensure distribution reached all 36.56 lakh enrolled students by July 31, but widespread delays persist.

While distribution is complete in many city schools, institutions in East Bengaluru and surrounding taluks reported logistical hurdles. A headmaster of a government school with 150 students in East Bengaluru noted that although footwear arrived, several pairs were oversized, prompting them to alert the supplier. Another primary school teacher stated that the assigned contractor had not yet visited their school, leaving some students to attend classes without proper footwear.

The Department of School Education had sanctioned Rs 104 crore to procure footwear for government school students. The supplies were scheduled to be distributed alongside uniforms at the beginning of the school year, but thousands of pupils across the state continue to wait.

Child rights activist Nagasimha G Rao stressed that timely distribution is crucial, particularly during the monsoon when footwear protects children from cold, infections, and injuries while walking to school. He noted that the initiative aligns with Article 27 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and urged the government to ensure proper sizing, quality checks, regular monitoring, and specialized footwear for differently-abled children.

Responding to a query by Congress MLC Bilkis Bano in the Legislative Council on Monday, Minister for Primary Education, School Education, and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa assured that steps are being taken to finish distribution across all government schools by August 28. The minister stated that a nodal officer will be appointed to resolve the pending supply issues.