Engineering will be taught in Kannada in 4 colleges from current year: Minister Ashwath Narayan
Bengaluru, Sep 29: Karnataka Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan on Wednesday said engineering will be taught in Kannada in four colleges from the current year.
"Teaching engineering in Kannada will begin in four colleges from the current year itself. Bheemanna Khandre Institute of Technology, Bhalki (Civil), BLDAE VP Dr P G Halakatti College of Engineering, Vijayapura (Civil), SJC Institute of Technology, Chikkaballapura (Mechanical), and Maharaja Institute of Technology, Mysuru (Mechanical) will start to teach in Kannada," he said.
National Board of Accreditation (NBA) accredited colleges have been permitted to teach engineering in Kannada, he said, adding that upto 30 students can be admitted.
The Minister also said a consensual agreement has been reached between the government and private colleges not to hike the fees of engineering courses in private colleges.
The fees for the engineering courses in private colleges for students who secure admission this year under government quota will continue as earlier in two different slabs of Rs 65,340 and Rs 58,806, he said.
"While private colleges had pressed to increase the fee by 30 per cent, the committee headed by Prof. Karisiddappa, Vice-Chancellor of Vishweshwaraiah Technological University (VTU), had recommended a hike of 15-25 per cent. But, in view of the COVID-19 situation, representatives of private colleges were convinced not to go for a hike," the Minister was quoted as saying by his office in a release.
This decision was taken at a meeting held with private college representatives at Vikasa Soudha here, it said.
The other important decisions taken at the meeting include fixing a maximum cap of Rs 20,000 each for fees collected in the form of 'miscellaneous fees' and 'skill fees'.
Also miscellaneous and skill fees, along with admission fees should not be remitted at colleges, but at the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), it said.
This decision has been taken as per the recommendations of a committee headed by Prof Karisiddappa, the Minister said.
ಶುಲ್ಕ ಹೆಚ್ಚಳ ಬೇಡ ಎಂಬ ನಮ್ಮ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ನಿರ್ಧಾರವನ್ನು ಪರಿಗಣಿಸಿ, ಸಕರಾತ್ಮಕವಾಗಿ ಸ್ಪಂದಿಸಿದ ಖಾಸಗಿ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಕೃತಜ್ಞತೆಗಳು.
— Dr. Ashwathnarayan C. N. (@drashwathcn) September 29, 2021
ಈ ಬಾರಿ 4 ಇಂಜಿನಿಯರಿಂಗ್ ಕಾಲೇಜುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕನ್ನಡ ಮಾಧ್ಯಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಬೋಧಿಸಲು ನಿರ್ಧರಿಸುವುದು ಸ್ವಾಗತಾರ್ಹ. NEP ಯಡಿ ಕೂಡಾ ಕನ್ನಡಕ್ಕೆ ಆದ್ಯತೆ ನೀಡಲಾಗಿದೆ.
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Modi govt by changing name of MGNREGA exposed its 'hatred' towards Gandhi: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that the union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attempting to change the name and structure of the MGNREGA, has itself exposed its "hatred" towards the poor and towards Mahatma Gandhi.
He also accused the Centre of "altering" the very structure of the scheme, by shifting nearly 40 per cent of the cost onto the state governments, and called Modi "anti federal".
Suggesting that the NDA government at the Centre start a "Ministry of Name Change", with the Prime Minister himself holding that portfolio, the CM warned of a statewide agitation against this name change move.
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.
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"The Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is attempting to change the name and structure of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), has itself exposed its hatred towards the poor and towards Mahatma Gandhi," Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
Implemented by the UPA government 20 years ago, the MGNREGA scheme has played a crucial role in eradicating unemployment and poverty in rural areas, he said, adding that "this scheme, which guarantees the right to employment to every individual, has received praise from economists both in India and abroad."
Noting that MGNREGA was a genuine form of employment guarantee, the CM said the proposed new structure under the Modi government strips away that guarantee and places the assurance of work at the whims of political leaders.
"This will further deepen caste discrimination and social inequality," he claimed.
Highlighting that the NDA government has altered the very structure of MGNREGA, a scheme whose entire expenditure was earlier borne by the Central government, by shifting nearly 40 per cent of the cost onto the state governments, Siddaramaiah said this stands as clear evidence of the "anti-federal attitude" that Prime Minister Modi has followed ever since coming to power.
"This move will also increase the migration of poor people in search of work as the proposed form does not guarantee employment in their own location -- forcing families to travel long distances to survive," he said.
Naming this scheme after Mahatma Gandhi, who sowed the dream of Gram Swaraj, was a meaningful decision, the CM said, "While Prime Minister Narendra Modi indulges in praising Gandhi during his foreign tours, within the country he has consistently engaged in attempts to erase Gandhi's legacy from key national programmes. From a parivar that seeks to glorify Gandhi's assassin Godse, what different conduct can one really expect?"
"Narendra Modi is widely known for simply changing the names of landmark schemes launched by the UPA government rather than preserving or strengthening them. It would be more appropriate for this government to start a 'Ministry of Name Change,' with the Prime Minister himself holding that portfolio," he said.
More than 25 flagship programmes launched during earlier governments were merely renamed or repackaged by the present regime, the CM further said, listing out that the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan was rechristened as the Swachh Bharat Mission, while the Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account scheme was rebranded as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, among others.
"These changes reflect a consistent pattern of altering names rather than fundamentally strengthening or expanding the original intent of these welfare initiatives," he added.
Stating that the Congress party and state government strongly condemn this "anti-people" decision of the Narendra Modi government, which has snatched food from the plates of the poor, insulted Bapu, and attempted to strangle state governments financially, Siddaramaiah warned about launching a statewide agitation against this move.
"The responsibility of preserving the MGNREGA scheme in its original form must also be taken up by the lakhs of beneficiaries of the scheme. They must hold the BJP leaders of the state accountable and exert pressure on them to raise their voices against this injustice, rising above party lines," he said.
