Bengaluru: Strong enrolment in English-medium Maulana Azad Model Schools (MAMS) has prompted the directorate of minorities to propose adding 100 more lower kindergarten (LKG) schools and expand upper kindergarten (UKG) and pre-university (PUC) sections across Karnataka. So far, 98% of the 3,000 LKG seats introduced in Sept 2025 have been filled and officials said the numbers indicate growing demand for English-medium schooling among minority communities.
“Each class has a strength of 30, of which about 23 seats (75%) are reserved for minority students,” an official from the department said. “These schools are largely located in areas where members of the community reside, ensuring education remains accessible. Earlier, like other welfare board schools, they offered classes from VI to X. The extension has received a strong response.” With 2,800 of the 3,000 LKG seats filled since the initiative began, Mansoor Basha, deputy director, Directorate of Minorities (DOM), said the department plans to double the number of schools offering kindergarten classes. “In addition, we are proposing to the govt to add 100 upper kindergarten classrooms within existing LKG schools,” Basha said. Saraswathi H, A teacher at MAMS Minhaz Nagar in Banashankari, Bengaluru, said enrolment of young girls from minority communities has been rising. “If we bring them into the education system at a young age, there is greater chance of them continuing until completion,” she said. “There are no fees — neither for tuition nor uniforms. Girls consistently emerge as toppers in the Class X board examinations.” She said continuity in English-medium instruction had earlier been a challenge. “Students transitioning from Urdu medium often struggled at high-school level. However, we maintained a 90% pass percentage,” she said. Vithoba Honakande, assistant director (education), DOM, said another proposal under consideration is to upgrade 75 MAMS — modelled on Karnataka Public Schools of the education department and to be renamed Karnataka Maulana Azad Public Schools — to include first and second PUC sections. “These could function in rented premises within a 2km radius, while the kindergarten expansions will have to be accommodated within existing school premises,” Honakande said. He said 25 of the 300 Maulana Azad schools had PUC sections added in 2023-24.
