Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal

Bantwal, July 20: As part of Karnataka’s mission to achieve 100% literacy in Dakshina Kannada, a major milestone was marked on Sunday with basic literacy exams conducted across 60 examination centres in Bantwal taluk, where 687 previously non-literate adults took part in the test.

Originally, 777 learners were scheduled to appear, but 90 were absent due to personal reasons, officials confirmed.

The literacy exams were conducted at a wide range of schools and community venues across the taluk, including: Koyila, Barimaru, Polali, Moorje, Badagakejkaru, Tenkakejkaru, Chennaitodi, Badagabelluru, Kukkippadi, Acharipalke, Kujila Betta, Brahmarakootlu, Bantrinja, Ananthadi, Bolanthur Narikombu, Shambhuru Primary School, Mittanadka, Kudrebettu, Baltile, Nandavara, Sajipamunnur, Manila, Siddakatte, Pudu, Punacha, Pariyalthadka, Moodupadukodi, Kulalu, Uli, Kalladka, Kedila, Sattikallu, Alakemajalu, Bondala, Ammunje, Badakottu, Kuttikkala, Ajilamogaru, Peraje, Natekallu, Kodangai, Neralakatte, Bolanthur, Nagri, Sajipamooda, Kavalapadur Vaggu, Amai, Kepu, Manchi, Pakkalapade, Muchchirapadavu, Valavooru, Maji, Kelinja, Bayila, Devasya Paduru, Poopadikatte, as well as Kundadka, Gumpaladka, Daddaltadka Anganwadis, and Amtadi Grama Panchayat office.

Headmasters and local educators were tasked with conducting the exams in a systematic and smooth manner across all centres.

Zilla Panchayat deputy director (Development), Rajalakshmi, personally visited centres in the Vitla region to oversee operations. At the Bondala Higher Primary School centre, District adult education officer Fatimabi conducted an inspection and addressed staff and candidates.

Speaking on the occasion, Fatimabi stated: “This exam is part of the third phase of Karnataka’s ambitious literacy programme launched in 2022–23, aimed at transforming 1,000 grama panchayats into fully literate units. While earlier phases covered other taluks, today’s examination in Bantwal is being conducted under the Link Document District Grant. We are encouraged by the enthusiastic participation of learners.”

In support of the event, Sachin Kumar, executive officer of Bantwal Taluk Panchayat, along with assistant director Shivu, BEO Manjunathan M G and several development officers from local grama panchayats, paid visits to multiple centres to monitor proceedings.

To ensure readiness, literacy training had been conducted over the past four months, with instructors appointed by respective gram panchayats. These instructors provided reading, writing, and arithmetic lessons at designated learning centres to help non-literate adults prepare for the exam.

The initiative marks another important step toward universal adult literacy in Dakshina Kannada, with more such drives expected to follow across the district.