Mangaluru: Retired Government Officer dies in hit-and-run accident
Mangaluru: In an accident that occurred on Sunday night, a retired government officer who was walking beside Circuit House in the city, was run over by a car causing his death on the spot. The deceased has been identified as A. Anand (62), a resident of Ladyhill.
After retiring from his position as an Officer in the BSNL, Anand was working in a private company in Udupi. On Sunday night, after finishing a company meeting, Anand had gotten off a bus and was walking beside the Circuit House road when a speeding car belonging to an AEE of a government department named Shanmugam ran over Anand and fled the scene, eye-witnesses said.
Anand, who was grievously injured in the hit-and-run died on the spot, it is learned. But, the accused driver Shanmugam, did not stop his vehicle and is said to have fled from the accident site. However, the locals caught up to the accused driver in other vehicles by following his car and waylaid him. Reportedly, he was handed over to the police.
As per the complaint made by the deceased victim’s wife, the Kadri Traffic Police have registered a case against the accused Shanmugam.
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Karnataka Minister writes to Centre seeking NRI quota in government medical colleges
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has made a formal request to the Centre, seeking approval to create additional supernumerary MBBS seats in government autonomous medical colleges from the academic year 2025-26. This move aims to introduce an NRI quota in medical colleges, enhancing financial inflow and educational quality.
Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil stated that he has written to the Chairman of the National Medical Commission (NMC), requesting the creation of 508 supernumerary MBBS seats across 22 government medical colleges in Karnataka. This would account for a 15% NRI quota, as highlighted in the state's proposal.
Patil supported the move by referencing UGC guidelines and the National Education Policy 2020, which underscore the importance of international student intake for global outreach. Examples from states like Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab were cited, where NRI quotas in government medical colleges already exist.
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Despite budgetary allocations and other revenue streams, autonomous medical institutions in Karnataka suffer from funding shortages. Patil argued that additional funds are key to transforming these centers into institutions of excellence. These funds would go toward improving infrastructure, faculty strength, research, and overall quality of education.
The minister pointed out that creating an NRI quota within the current annual intake of seats is impractical, as it could reduce opportunities for underprivileged students and provoke protests. Instead, a proposed annual fee of Rs 25 lakh per NRI student could generate substantial revenue.
Patil expressed confidence that the Centre would approve the state's request, enabling the introduction of a 15% NRI quota in government medical colleges from 2025-26 onward.
