Karnataka introduces 15% NRI quota seats in government medical colleges
Bengaluru: In a first, Karnataka is introducing 15% Non-Resident Indian (NRI) quota in government medical colleges, announced Sharan Prakash R. Patil, Minister for Medical Education.
This development follows the approval from the National Medical Commission (NMC) for 450 additional medical seats in the state, fulfilling a long-standing demand.
“This will help government medical colleges become more financially self-reliant instead of depending heavily on State grants,” The Hindu quoted Patil as saying.
The new NRI quota seats will be available starting from the academic year 2025–26, increasing the total number of seats in the state to 9,663. The first round of seat allotment, following the NEET results, had initially offered 9,263 seats.
The additional seats will be distributed equally across government medical colleges in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Chickballapur, Hassan, Raichur, and Vijayanagara, with each institution receiving 50 seats. The medical college run by the Moorusavira Mutt in Hubballi will also receive 50 extra seats, added the report.
After the NMC's announcement of adding 8,000 seats nationwide, Karnataka submitted a proposal for more seats in government medical colleges. Patil emphasised that the growing number of students aspiring for medical education each year, and the inability of many meritorious students to afford the high fees of private colleges, made the need for additional seats urgent. “Hence, we appealed for more seats, and I am glad our request has been approved,” the minister said.
In addition to the new medical seats, Patil announced that a Skill Summit, modelled on the Bengaluru Tech Summit, will be held on November 4, 5, and 6.
He also revealed plans for a job fair in Mysuru after the Dasara festivities, with registrations opening soon. A nursing summit will take place in October, followed by an international roadshow to promote the job fair.
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Budget allocation to AYUSH Ministry sees 20% rise
New Delhi (PTI): Budget allocation for the AYUSH ministry saw 20 per cent increase, from Rs 3,671.82 crore (revised estimates) in FY 2025-26 to Rs 4,408.93 crore in FY 2026-27.
The government has also announced the setting up of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda to strengthen research in the field.
Presenting the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "Ancient Indian Yoga, already respected in several parts of the world, was given a mass global recognition when the Prime Minister took it to the United Nations."
Stating that post-Covid Ayurveda has gained similar global acceptance and recognition, Sitharaman said exporting quality Ayurvedic products could help farmers who grow the herbs and the youth who process them.
To meet the global demand, she proposed setting up of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda, upgrading AYUSH pharmacies and drug-testing labs for higher standards of certification ecosystem, making available more skilled personnel, and upgrading the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar to bolster evidence-based research, training and awareness on traditional medicine.
Among the Centrally sponsored schemes, the allocation for the National AYUSH Mission has been increased from Rs 780.96 crore in FY 2025-26 to Rs 1,300 crore in FY 2026-27, registering 66.5 per cent hike.
The allocation for the All India Institute of Ayurveda has been reduced by 12 per cent.
Funding for the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda has also declined from 279.24 crore to 219.05 crore.
