The Karnataka government has changed teacher recruitment rules to put more focus on competitive exams. Now, 0.70 weightage is given to competitive exam marks. Only 0.20 points are given for B.Ed and D.Ed courses. Earlier, B.Ed and D.Ed had much higher weightage. Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) marks get 0.20 weightage. For candidates with a four-year teacher education degree, the new rules give 70% weightage to the competitive exam, 20% to TET, and 10% to B.Ed degrees. Before the change, competitive exams got 35% or less weight, while B.Ed and D.Ed courses got up to 50%. The Karnataka Education Department issued the amendment via gazette notification on January 21, 2026. Teacher aspirants fear this change benefits private coaching centers. Aspiring teacher Ravikumar S.N. said, "Special training is given in D.Ed. and B.Ed. courses. Teaching by understanding the mindset of children is a big challenge. However, it is painful that the government has given only 0.2% weightage to these courses." Another aspirant, Bhavya D.R., warned, "Most candidates come from rural areas and poor families. Now we must study more for competitive exams than for education courses. Coaching centers already charge high fees. More emphasis on competitive exams will only encourage coaching mafia. It's impossible to get a job without coaching now." The state government’s move has sparked wide debate among teacher hopefuls across Karnataka.