Karnataka panel recommends Rs 10,000 crore for school infrastructure
Bengaluru (PTI): A sub-committee of the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission has recommended that the state government allocate Rs 10,000 crore to improve infrastructure in primary schools to ensure compliance with the RTE Act.
The commission’s vice-chairman and Congress MLA from Aland, B R Patil, submitted the report to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also heads the panel, on Thursday.
The commission urged the government to consider the recommendations in the 2026–27 state budget and focus on improving RTE implementation, reducing dropout rates, and restructuring higher education to meet emerging challenges.
The report stated, “To ensure that at least 50 per cent of primary schools in the state comply with the standards and norms of the RTE Act, we recommend allocating Rs 10,000 crore to strengthen infrastructure in government schools. The overall timeframe for achieving 50 per cent compliance should not exceed three years.”
The panel said a comprehensive roadmap must be prepared for the “effective and meaningful implementation” of the RTE Act, noting that enforcement had weakened in recent years.
It urged the School Education Department to draw up a realistic action plan to ensure statewide adherence to statutory norms.
Calling for the strengthening of School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs), the report stressed that democratic processes must be strictly followed in their constitution and that political interference should be eliminated. It also recommended decentralisation of funds and greater community participation in school governance.
The sub-committee proposed a phased expansion of the RTE Act to cover children aged 4 to 18 years, stating that restricting the legal guarantee to the 6–14 age group was inadequate in the current educational landscape.
To improve retention at the secondary level, the panel recommended reviving the free bicycle distribution scheme for girls. Citing a secondary-level dropout rate of 22.9 per cent, it described the scheme as an “essential investment in equity and opportunity.”
In higher education, the report advised against filling vacant teaching posts without reassessing long-term academic requirements in view of technological advancements and artificial intelligence. It recommended setting up an expert committee within six months to review degree programmes and faculty needs.
The panel further proposed creating a Karnataka State Research Endowment Fund to address declining central research grants and boost innovation, patents, and academic output in universities and colleges.
It also called for establishing Skill Development Departments in every university and constituting Industry-Academia Advisory Boards to better align curricula with evolving employment demands.
The recommendations were finalised by five sub-committees of the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission and submitted to the government for consideration in the upcoming budget.
The 204-page KSPPC report also includes recommendations on health, environment, agriculture, women and child development, and labourers’ welfare.
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Rape accused's mother murdered by victim's brother in MP's Shivpuri
Shivpuri (PTI): The 60-year-old mother of a rape accused was killed allegedly by the victim's brother in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district, a police official said on Saturday.
The incident took place on Friday, Rannod police station house officer (SHO) Arvind Chauhan said.
"An anganwadi worker returning from a hospital was offered a lift by one Inder Gurjar, who took her to a secluded spot and raped her. She called up her brothers to narrate the ordeal. One brother of the victim along with two associates went to Gurjar's house and assaulted him. When Gurjar's mother Sirkunwarbai (60) intervened, she was attacked with a sharp weapon. She died on the spot," he said.
Based on a complaint filed by the deceased woman's daughter-in-law, three persons were booked for murder. One of them was held on Saturday, the official added.
A separate case has also been registered against Gurjar for rape, he said.
Police personnel have been deployed in the area in view of tension following the incident, the official added.
