India • Jun 25, 2025

Karnataka government mandates Kannada for administrative work

Karnataka has just made it official: all state government departments and district offices must use Kannada for every bit of admin work.
The new rule, sent out by Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, says anyone skipping Kannada could face disciplinary action.
This follows the state's Official Language Act from way back in 1963.

TL;DR

Order comes after complaints about English in official spaces

This move is about making governance more accessible for Kannada speakers and keeping the language front and center in daily administration.
All files, meetings, and paperwork have to be in Kannada—unless it's with the central government, foreign countries, or courts.
The order comes after repeated complaints about English being used too often in official spaces.