Rising demand spurs new girls-only colleges in Dakshina Kannada: Report
Mangaluru: Amid rising demand from minority communities in Dakshina Kannada district, the Karnataka government has approved two new girls-only colleges in Mangaluru’s Ullal constituency.
The Department of Minorities has sanctioned Rs 17 crore for a new education complex between Konaje and Pajir. The facility will cater to girls from Class 1 through degree level, serving both residential and day scholars, as reported by The New Indian Express on Wednesday.
Additionally, the Waqf Department will develop a pre-university (PU) girls' college in Ullal town. Both institutions will follow a 75:25 reservation ratio for minority and non-minority students, respectively.
In Derlakatte, a government PU college that was previously co-educational was converted into a girls-only institution last academic year. The shift followed complaints of disruptive behaviour from some boys and low male enrolment; only 41 of the 91 students enrolled in 2022–23 were boys. The College Development Committee, led by MLA UT Khader, proposed the change, which was supported by parents, added the report.
Officials and educators quoted by the news outlet link the rising demand for girls-only colleges to sociocultural factors, particularly in the wake of the 2022 Hijab controversy. A significant number of parents, especially from the Muslim community, have expressed reservations about co-educational institutions, citing concerns over safety, early marriage pressures, and cultural sensitivities.
Government-run women’s colleges reportedly have a 25–30% Muslim enrolment rate, substantially higher than in co-educational government colleges.
This broader demand has shaped government policy. The Karnataka state budget has announced the establishment of 15 women’s colleges on vacant Waqf lands in 2024-25, with 16 more scheduled for the following year.
Defending the decision to expand girls-only institutions, Khader highlighted community needs and the importance of empowering women through education. “I can’t force families to send their daughters to co-ed colleges. These new institutions are being set up to address real demand on the ground,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
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Man held with Rs 6.23 lakh drugs in Palghar
Palghar (PTI): Police have arrested a man after seizing drugs valued at Rs 6.23 lakh from his possession in Maharashtra's Palghar district, officials said on Sunday.
Based on intelligence inputs, the police conducted a raid at Dhaniv Bagh in the Nalasopara area on December 4 and apprehended the man.
During a search, they recovered brown sugar valued at Rs 6 lakh and Nitrazepam (a psychotropic drug) tablets costing Rs 23,628 from his possession, a police release said.
The accused, identified as Salim Bagion alias Sardar Chacha (40), was arrested and booked under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the release said.
The accused is a habitual offender. He has 12 previous cases registered against him, including three under the NDPS Act, the police said.
