Bangalore City University to be renamed after Dr. Manmohan Singh
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has announced that Bangalore City University will be renamed as Dr. Manmohan Singh Bangalore City University as part of efforts to develop it into a model institution. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who made the announcement while presenting the state budget, also revealed several key initiatives aimed at strengthening higher education in Karnataka.
In a significant push for educational reforms, the Chief Minister said that Government Arts College and Government RC College would be developed as constituent colleges of the university. He further announced a Rs. 2,500 crore project proposed over the next four years, with assistance from the World Bank, to enhance first-grade colleges across the state, establish Centres of Excellence, and boost research capacity.
To strengthen women’s higher education, the government had already upgraded 31 women’s colleges in the previous year. An additional Rs. 26 crore has been allocated for improving the infrastructure of 26 more colleges. In an effort to improve faculty availability, 2,000 vacant teaching positions in government first-grade colleges, engineering colleges, and polytechnics will be filled.
The budget also includes Rs. 275 crore to provide necessary infrastructure to government engineering colleges, polytechnics, and degree colleges, and Rs. 10 crore for equipping newly established polytechnics and engineering colleges with furniture, computers, and books.
A significant international academic collaboration was also announced. Through the Chevening Karnataka Masters Fellowship, female students from government degree colleges in Karnataka will have the opportunity to pursue a one-year postgraduate degree in prestigious universities in England.
To enhance practical knowledge and increase employability among students, the government will appoint ‘Professors of Practice’—industry professionals who will provide hands-on training and mentorship—at 16 government engineering colleges in the state. Additionally, Rs. 30 crore has been allocated to upgrade the Unified University & College Management System (UUCMS) software, which is used for managing higher educational institutions.
As part of the expansion of technical education, a unit college of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) will be established in Chintamani taluk of Chikkaballapur district at a cost of Rs. 150 crore.
The government has also partnered with the Azim Premji Foundation to provide refresher training for all college education department teachers within the next three years. Furthermore, in collaboration with industries, the government will launch an internship program and special corporate training schemes to equip students with market-relevant skills and enhance their employability.
A special skill development program for 23,000 students will be organized by the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) at a cost of Rs. 10 crore. Additionally, a Prof. Nanjunda Swamy Research Chair will be established at the University of Mysore to promote academic research and scholarship.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
