Lakhs of high school students are still awaiting their free bicycles from the State government. Much to their disappointment, they will have to wait longer as it is likely to be distributed only in November.
As many as 5.5 lakh students are to receive cycles with the total cost pegged at ₹185 crore.
Many students are now forced to walk several kilometres to reach school. “Buses are not frequent; we have to walk 4 km to reach school,” said a class 8 student from Chamarajanagar. She said that while primary schools are located in every village, they have to commute long distances to reach high schools.
Teachers say that the delay in distribution of cycles is affecting academics as students are coming late to class. Manjunath H.K., president, Karnataka State High School Assistant Masters’ Association, said: “Particularly in monsoon, roads are very bad, and in interior areas the bus timings are not during school hours.”
The Department of Public Instruction recently issued a work order to four private companies to provide cycles to class 8 students in government high schools in rural Karnataka.
Sources in the department attributed the delay in distribution of cycles to the model code of conduct during the Assembly elections.