Karnataka Budget: CM Basavaraj Bommai announces 7 IIT-like institutes, new polytechnic colleges
Karnataka government will bear the admission fees of students of Kannada medium schools looking to pursue professional courses at government or private colleges.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai arrives to present the State Budget for the financial year 2023-24, at Vidhana Soudha, in Bengaluru, Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. (PTI Photo) In Budget 2022-23, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced grants for the establishment of new institutes, including seven colleges on the lines of the IITs, polytechnic colleges, and said the government will bear the admission fees of students of Kannada medium schools looking to pursue professional courses at government or private colleges.
As per Prof Sadagopan’s expert committee report regarding the facilities and infrastructure required to convert government engineering colleges at Bengaluru, Haveri, Hassan, K R Pete, Talakal, Ramanagara and Karwar to Karnataka Institute of Technology (KIT), on the lines of IITs, a total of Rs 50 crore has been provided for developmental works.
The government also announced Science divisions at 100 selected degree colleges in the state under Prof CNR Rao Science Programme to increase admission of students in scientific and technological professional courses.
Bommai also proposed to establish a new university in Chikkamagaluru with maximum utilisation of technology and lesser human resources. In addition, the polytechnic college at Bankapura, Shiggavi taluka, will be upgraded to an engineering college. Further, a new polytechnic college will also be established at Chikkanayakanahalli in Tumkur district.
Interestingly, under the newly-proposed Halli Muthu scheme, for 500 excellent students who have completed their school education in rural government Kannada medium schools and have been selected for professional courses in government quota through Common Entrance Test (CET), the entire fee will be borne by the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA).
Bommai also announced that public universities will be given incentives based on their academic excellence formulated through 10 good governance indices. Accordingly, an incentive of Rs 50 lakh each will be given to the universities achieving excellence. The government degree colleges and government polytechnics having highest attendance, one in each district, will also be developed as ‘Athyuttama Unnata Shikshana Samsthe’ by providing them with necessary facilities at a cost of Rs 2 crore per institution under the Vruddhi programme. A total of Rs 124 crore has been allocated for this purpose.
In the aspirational talukas, a series of programmes have been formulated at a total cost of Rs 125 crore to strengthen higher education. It includes the construction of classrooms, toilets and science laboratories, basic facilities and scientific equipment for all government women first grade colleges and polytechnics under the ‘Vidyavardhini’ scheme. In addition, Yoga training will also be imparted at all government women first grade colleges and polytechnic colleges to boost physical strength and self-confidence among girl students.
Dr Vidyashankar S, vice chancellor of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), said, “The establishment of Karnataka Institute of Technology institutions on the line of the IITs is a welcome move. These institutes will prepare students for global competitions. In addition, bearing the cost of the admission fees for the students from Kannada medium schools will encourage more students to learn Kannada. However, there could have been some more expenditure in the infrastructure related to implementation of NEP 2020.”
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