About Us Contact us Kannada

Bengaluru, Mar 27 (PTI): Accepting Justice H N Nagmohan Das Commission's interim report, the Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to go for a survey of Scheduled Castes (SCs) in the state, to decide on internal reservation among them.

The one-man commission of the retired High Court judge submitted the interim report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah earlier in the day, just ahead of the Cabinet meeting.

The government has been under pressure from SC communities and from within the ruling Congress party to implement internal reservation at the earliest, for which empirical data is needed, and the government has decided to go by the recommendation of the commission to gather the data.

The internal reservation is aimed at slicing up the 17 per cent reservation matrix given to 101 scheduled castes.

"The Cabinet has accepted the interim report submitted by Justice Nagmohan Das Commission," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said.

Briefing reporters about the Cabinet's decision, he said to ensure that the internal reservation process happens at a fast pace, it has been decided to request Justice Nagmohan Das Commission to oversee new survey and gathering of data.

"The commission has suggested that 40 days is required for the survey to be completed. Naturally it may take five to ten days for preparation, so it has been decided to extend the commission's tenure by two months, for it to complete the process and submit the report within 60 days--two months," he added.

Noting that the commission has made four major recommendations, Patil said they include conducting a fresh survey and gathering of data for scientific classification of sub castes among SCs in Karnataka; and that, using advanced scientific and technological devices, a new survey can be done in 30-40 days.

"It has also recommended for preparing a required questionnaire for a fresh survey, and constituting a high-level committee to oversee mobilisation of resources for the survey is to be conducted, and training of the staff required for it; and provisioning among the sub castes of SCs from quantum of reservation that is available by following the criterion mentioned in the report, on the basis of the data gathered from the new survey."

A section of SCs, especially 'SC Left', have been demanding internal reservation, alleging that only a few influential sub-castes were taking away a majority of the benefits, while many communities were still marginalised.

The government, in November last year, appointed Justice Nagmohan Das to head a commission to recommend internal reservation among SCs, after the Supreme Court last year allowed the states to provide internal reservation, and the State Cabinet agreed to implement internal reservation.

In a landmark verdict delivered by the Supreme Court on August 1 last year, it held that states are constitutionally empowered to make sub-classifications within the SCs, which form a socially heterogeneous class, for granting reservation for the uplift of castes that are socially and educationally more backward.

Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa, responding to a question, said survey can be done in 40-45 days using advanced technologies. There are 6,000 panchayats and more than 300 urban local bodies, and a host of officials to manage things, he said.

"The Chief Secretary is holding a meeting with top officials in this regard, and the Cabinet has asked them to do it on a war footing, under the Chief Secretary's suprivision," he said.

Rejecting any "time pass or dodging of time" with the fresh survey, Mahadevappa said the government and the ruling Congress party are committed to providing internal reservation among SCs.

"If the data is scientifically accurate, there won't be any problem in the future. In Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana and other states they (internal reservation decisions) have landed in court, it should not happen. Things should be pucca and benefit people. That's our intention," he added.

To a question on the need for a fresh survey, and whether the Census data was not available, Mahadevappa said, "Four major groups among SCs are not there in the census. If we don't include that data, it may be challenged in the court of law. That's the reason why we want a fresh census within stipulated time."

Earlier in the day, Justice Nagmohan Das, after submitting the interim report to the chief minister, said, "After in-depth study for more than two months by me and my team, I have submitted a 104-page report. The report was not submitted hurriedly. The government in fact has not asked us to submit the interim report, we have voluntarily given it."

Asked by reporters whether the interim report was a delay tactic, the retired judge said he doesn't think so. "Giving a permanent solution to them (those waiting for internal reservation) is my intention..."

Get all the latest, breaking news from Karnataka in a single click. CLICK HERE to get all the latest news from Karnataka.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.

Comments

New Delhi: A Noida-based private University, Galgotias has come under severe criticism after allegedly showcasing a china-made robotic dog at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.

Social media users accused the university of purchasing a commercial robot from China and presenting it as its own creation at the summit.

Reports claimed that the university showcased the Unitree Go2 robotic dog, an AI-powered device available on Chinese platforms for Rs 2–3 lakh, under the name “Orion” during the event in New Delhi.

“So Galgotia university purchased a commercially available robot worth Rs 2.5 lakhs, called it their own and passed it off in the Delhi AI Summit as a part of their 350 crore AI ecosystem..I literally have no words left,” wrote ‘X’ user Roshan Rai, sharing a video in which a DD News reporter interviewed a university official about the robotic dog.

The viral post claimed that the robot closely resembles Unitree Go2, a quadruped robotic dog developed by Chinese company Unitree Robotics.

Screenshots attached to the post compared the robot displayed at the summit with the Unitree Go2 listing, priced at roughly 2,800 dollars (around Rs 2.3–2.5 lakhs).

According Unitree Robotics, The Unitree Go2 is widely used as a programmable quadruped robot for research, education, inspection, and development purposes, and is a common learning platform in universities and robotics labs worldwide.

Several users reiterated the claim.

Government of India funds for filing patents

Meanwhile, concerns were raised about alleged misuse of government funds.

User @sky_phd highlighted, “Galgotias University is once again in the spotlight. Under the guise of research and innovation, they are raking in plenty of money.”

The user claimed that the university took money under government funds, and wrote, “The Government of India provides incentive funding of up to five lakh rupees for filing patents.”

“To understand the patent filing process and the games being played with it, take a look at the list of top Indian institutions filing patents. All the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) together file only 803 patents, while institutions like Lovely Professional University, Jain Deemed-to-be University, Galgotias University, and Teerthanker Mahaveer University have filed more than a thousand patents each,” the user wrote, sharing a chart of patent filings by these universities.

“The basic international patent filing fee is $285–400. Through patent filings alone, these institutions are reportedly earning more than fifty crore rupees annually. However, while these universities file patents, they often do not pursue them further, and most patents ultimately do not get granted. This inflates filing numbers but does not reflect real innovation or recognized intellectual property,” the user added.

Another user pointed out about the selection criteria of the summit. The user questioned, “What exactly was the selection criteria for participation in this AI summit? .”

“Platforms meant to showcase India’s innovation should represent genuine research, original ideas, and credible institutions. So how did Galgotias University qualify to display a Chinese-made robot and present it as its own “innovation”? If true, this isn’t just embarrassing, it undermines the credibility of the entire summit and of India’s growing tech ecosystem. At a time when India is trying to position itself as a global AI and deep-tech leader, showcasing repackaged imports as indigenous innovation only damages trust. If we want the world to take India’s AI ambitions seriously, transparency and authenticity must come first,” the user added.

 

University clarifies after backlash

In response to the criticism, Galgotias University issued a clarification, stating that it “never claimed to have built the device” and that the robot was procured from a Chinese manufacturer for academic purposes.

“Let us be clear, Galgotias has not built this robodog, nor have we claimed to do so. What we are building are minds that will soon design, engineer, and manufacture such technologies in Bharat," the university said.

The university in its statement also pointed out that the Unitree Go2 is being used as a learning tool for students.

“From the US to China and Singapore, we bring advanced technologies to campus because exposure creates vision, and vision creates creators. The robodog is actively being used by students to test capabilities and explore real-world applications,” the university added.

University professor claims “it's developed by the Center of Excellence at the Galgotias University.”

In another video captured by DD News, a reporter showcased the Galgotias University pavilion at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

At the pavilion, the reporter spoke with the university professor about the technology on display.

The professor introduced the robot, saying, “This is Orion. You need to meet Orion. It has been developed by the Center of Excellence at Galgotias University.”

She added, “I would also like to brief you about Galgotias University. We are the first private university investing more than Rs 350 crore in artificial intelligence and have a dedicated data science and AI lab on campus.”

“Orion has been developed by our Center of Excellence. It can take all shapes and sizes and is quite playful. It can perform small tasks such as surveillance and monitoring. It can even execute movements like moonwalks and somersaults,” she explained.

She also claimed that, “This is India’s first iOS lab in North India at a university, giving our students hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology.”

Reacting to the video social media users ridiculed the 350 cr rupees investment compared to the china made robo dog.

Past Controversies of the University

This is not the first time the university is in controversy. In May 2024, during the Lok Sabha elections, a video went viral showing students protesting outside the Congress headquarters in New Delhi against the party’s manifesto. The footage, captured by Aaj Tak, showed students struggling to articulate the purpose of their protest, raising questions about the demonstration’s intent.

Earlier, in 2017, students protested against the university management after being barred from appearing in exams due to low attendance, with allegations that fines were requested to allow attendance, a claim denied by the administration.

All Stories

Motorist dies after falling into roadside pit in Kerala's Thodupuzha; Minister orders probe
Motorist dies after falling into roadside pit in Kerala's Thodupuzha; Minister orders probe

A 27-year-old man died after allegedly falling into an open roadside pit near Thodupuzha in Idukki district, police said on Tuesday. 
Telangana: Man sets woman on fire for 'rejecting' marriage proposal
Telangana: Man sets woman on fire for 'rejecting' marriage proposal

A 28-year-old married woman was set on fire allegedly by a man after she "rejected" his marriage proposal in Mahabubabad town on Tuesday, police said.
Hassan: Two young men die in two-wheeler head-on collision in Channarayapatna
Hassan: Two young men die in two-wheeler head-on collision in Channarayapatna

Two young men reportedly died in a head-on collision between a scooter and a bike near the Doderi guard gate in Channarayapatna taluk of the district on Tuesday.

Copyright © 2026. Vartha Bharati. All rights reserved