Karnataka Central Relief Committee pledges steps for empowerment of transgender community
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Bengaluru: In a landmark step towards inclusivity, the Central Relief Committee (CRC) of the Government of Karnataka held its first official meeting with representatives of the transgender community at the CRC office in Bengaluru. The meeting was chaired by Aga Sultan, the newly appointed Chairman of the Committee, and led by noted transgender rights activist Akkai Padmashali, Founder of Ondede.
The session aimed to promote equality, self-reliance, and social inclusion of transgender individuals while providing a platform to understand their concerns and aspirations. It was attended by Vijay Kumar, Secretary, Chandrappa B. Gokak, Joint Secretary, and several superintendents and officials from relief centres across the state.
Representatives from the transgender community, including Akkai Padmashali and other prominent activists, highlighted a range of key issues faced by the community. Their primary demands included the effective implementation of the Transgender Policy, 2017 Act, skill development and vocational training, employment opportunities, social inclusion, measures to prevent harassment, and provision of housing and shelter facilities.
Chairman Aga Sultan assured the participants that the CRC would convey their concerns to the state government and ensure regular dialogues with the community to address their issues on priority. He also urged the transgender community to join hands with the government’s initiatives aimed at building an inclusive and dignified society.
During the meeting, Aga Sultan requested Akkai Padmashali to encourage members of the community to refrain from begging at traffic signals and instead take part in the CRC’s “Bring Beauty Back to Bengaluru” campaign, which seeks to make the city begging-free through rehabilitation and livelihood programmes.
The meeting concluded with a focus on strategic measures to promote economic independence and social integration for transgender individuals. Officials described the session as a historic milestone in the CRC’s efforts to make Karnataka a more inclusive and equitable state.
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Karnataka urges Centre to scrap NEET-UG from 2026, restore state powers to conduct CET
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Saturday reiterated its demand before the Centre to scrap the NEET-UG examination from the academic year 2026 onwards and restore the powers of states to conduct their own transparent and merit-based Common Entrance Tests.
State Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil, in a statement, emphasised that Karnataka has a long-standing legacy of administering fair, transparent, student-friendly and merit-oriented entrance examinations through the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA).
He noted that the CET system in Karnataka has for decades enabled lakhs of deserving students, especially from rural, middle-class and economically weaker sections, to secure professional education opportunities based on merit, hard work and academic consistency.
The minister said the Karnataka CET model has been widely appreciated for its transparency, accountability and efficient conduct, helping meritorious students shape their future with confidence and instilling faith among the younger generation in the integrity of the education system.
He said the NEET experience over the past several years has raised serious concerns across the country.
According to him, repeated allegations and incidents of question paper leaks, impersonation, organised cheating rackets, manipulation, technical irregularities and lack of adequate accountability have severely damaged the credibility of the examination process conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Pointing to recent controversies surrounding NEET examinations, the Minister said these issues have caused stress, uncertainty and mental trauma among students and parents. Repeated reports of malpractice expose the inability of central agencies to ensure a completely fair and foolproof examination system at the national level.
He added that confidence among students in the integrity of the examination process has been deeply shaken.
Stressing that medical education is a critical sector that determines the future healthcare strength of the country, Patil said admissions must be based on a system that is transparent, corruption-free and sensitive to regional and educational diversity.
He said a centralised examination model that repeatedly faces allegations of irregularities cannot be imposed on states that have demonstrated efficient and credible examination mechanisms.
The minister also highlighted that Karnataka’s CET system has successfully balanced merit with accessibility and ensured fair opportunities for students from all sections of society.
Patil said the state government has already written to the Government of India seeking the abolition of NEET and permission to conduct admissions through the Karnataka CET system.
He urged the Union government to respect the federal structure of the Constitution and allow states to conduct entrance examinations through credible agencies such as KEA.
Restoring the CET system would protect students’ interests and rebuild public confidence in the admission process, Patil said.
The minister reiterated that the state government will continue to pursue the matter in the interest of students, parents and the future of medical education in Karnataka.
