Karnataka introduces STEAM education in public high schools to foster creativity and job skills
The Karnataka government has announced a shift to STEAM-based education for students in Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) starting at the high school level. The initiative aims to equip students with skills for future careers and encourage creative entrepreneurship.
STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. Unlike traditional textbook-based learning, STEAM emphasises hands-on experiments, robotics, coding, model building, and problem-solving. The approach is designed to make learning more engaging and relevant to real-world challenges.
According to a Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) official, the inclusion of Arts in STEAM enhances imagination and design thinking, helping students find innovative solutions. The official noted that future job markets will require not just technical knowledge but also creativity, teamwork, and communication skills — all of which STEAM aims to develop.
A pilot programme is already underway at the KPS in Kalasa, Chikkamagaluru district, using the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) to focus on robotics, coding, and artificial intelligence. The government now plans to expand STEAM modules to all KPS schools.
Vikas Kishor Suralkar, Commissioner for School Education, stated that curriculum changes are being made to implement STEAM-based education. “This will help students develop the skills required for the future job market,” he said.
