K’taka govt plans seat reservation for local students in foreign universities to be set up in state
Bengaluru: In a move aimed at expanding access to global education, the Congress government is planning to introduce reservation for economically disadvantaged, meritorious local students in foreign universities expected to establish campuses in the state.
The state government has proposed this with Lancaster University of United Kingdom, which announced to set up its campus in Bengaluru recently, and operations are likely to start from February, 2026, while admissions will begin from August/September, 2026.
Karnataka Higher Education Minister M.C. Sudhakar said that the state has held discussions on reserving seats for Karnataka students in foreign universities that plan to establish campuses in the state. According to him, the universities have responded positively to the proposal. The state government is also contemplating offering scholarships to the selected students.
Sudhakar explained that pursuing higher education abroad is often financially out of reach for many students. To address this, the government is exploring ways to offer scholarships with contributions from both the state and the universities. He added that such a model would also reflect the universities’ social commitment.
Lancaster University is reportedly planning to operate from a temporary 50,000 sq ft campus in Electronic City. The institution plans to move to its own campus within the next four years. It has also sought land and basic infrastructure at a marginal rate. The university will offer academic programs in cyber security, business, finance, and accounting.
Earlier, the University of Liverpool from the UK had signed an agreement with the state government to set up its campus at KWIN City. Additionally, Imperial College London has already opened its research wing at Bengaluru City University.
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Climate Change crisis: IMD to change parameters to declare heatwaves
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The IMD, along with its technical partners, will soon revise the criteria for declaring heatwave conditions in the country, as the present parameters do not suit India’s geographical conditions, according to official sources here.
Kerala, in particular, has faced difficulties in issuing heatwave warnings because of the limitations of the existing parameters.
Sources in the India Meteorological Department said the state experienced severe heat and humidity this summer and, for the first time, weather forecasts were made based on the anti-cyclone system that formed near the Karnataka–Maharashtra coast.
"We have never had an anti-cyclone system form closer to the South before, and this time we had to predict the weather based on it," a senior IMD official told PTI.
Anti-cyclonic systems are common over north-western parts of India, but this year one formed near the southern region, leading to unusually hot nights.
The anti-cyclone caused downward air movement, which pushed warm air towards the surface and prevented it from dispersing at night, the official added. As a result, Kerala recorded night temperatures 3 to 4 degrees Celsius above normal.
Because Kerala has experienced a steady temperature increase during the summer months for the last few years, changing the parameters for declaring heat waves would benefit the state, enabling the authorities to issue warnings more efficiently, the official added.
The IMD currently issues hot and humid weather warnings, although the situation warrants a heatwave warning, as the existing parameters do not allow the department to issue one.
At present, the IMD issues a heat wave warning in coastal areas when the maximum temperature reaches 37 degree Celsius or more with a temperature departure of 4.5 degree Celsius over the recorded maximum temperature.
For plains, the threshold is 40 degrees Celsius with a departure of 4.5 degrees Celsius or more from normal, while for hilly regions it is 30 degrees Celsius with a departure of 4.5 degrees Celsius or more.
Officials said the current heatwave declaration parameters also require these conditions to be recorded at two stations in the state to issue the warnings.
"In Kerala, we hardly get to record these conditions in two areas; moreover, we have severe heat stress that can easily cause a heat stroke. So we have decided to rework the heatwave declaration parameters and the changes will be implemented shortly. There will be a consultation with the Disaster Management Authority also before finalising the parameters," the official said.
Throughout Kerala, temperatures recorded this summer were three to four degrees Celsius higher than usual. The state also reported multiple cases of heatstroke despite regular warnings issued by the IMD and the state disaster management authority.
According to experts, Kerala has become a climate change hotspot, with a steady increase in atmospheric temperatures and erratic monsoons.
The IMD has also predicted a below-normal monsoon this year, as this is the first time two consecutive El Nino years are being witnessed.
