Even as several government-aided and some unaided schools in Dakshina Kannada shut down due to zero admissions, the district continues to sanction a notable number of new institutions annually. Between the 2020-21 and 2025-26 academic years, authorities approved 108 new schools—both aided and unaided—with a significant portion belonging to minority communities.
According to District Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) Govinda Madivala, the 2025-26 academic year alone saw approval for 24 new schools or upgrades. “Applications are steadily rising; this year, we received over 36. Opening a school requires fulfilling 28 specific criteria,” he noted.
Data from the Department of School Education and Literacy shows that many approvals were for establishing new primary schools, while others upgraded from primary to upper primary (grades 6–8) or added secondary sections. The majority of these institutions are concentrated in Mangaluru North, Mangaluru South, Bantwal, Puttur, and Belthangady BEO limits. Officials report a particularly strong demand for private English-medium schools in rural regions.
Aboobakkar Siddique, linked to a private primary school in Salethur launched in 2022, observed that while rural areas welcome private schools, sustaining them is challenging due to the need for affordable fees. Another school representative stressed that the approval process is stringent, with failure to meet even a single requirement leading to rejection.
This trend highlights the paradox of school closures alongside a steady rise in new private and minority-run institutions across the district.