Bengaluru City University to be renamed as Dr Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his 16th Budget presentation said, the government has decided to rename the Bengaluru City University as Dr Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University.

The government will also encourage girls students of Government Degree Colleges of the state to pursue one-year post-graduation in prestigious universities of England under the ‘Chevening Karnataka Master’s Scholarship Programme’.

Institutes modelled on NIMHANS will be established at Mysuru and Kalaburagi Medical Colleges each at a cost of Rs 100 crore. A 500-bedded hospital at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital will be completed at Rs. 297 crore, he added.

The state government intends to improve the learning outcomes in school education is priority. An ambitious three-year programme will be implemented to ensure students from LKG to second PUC reach the learning outcomes as per their grades.

CM Siddaramaiah, in his budget presentation, said the education department has planed to impart joyful education under ‘Kalika Chilume’ programme learning will be made a joyful experience for students of Classes 1 to 5.

A phone-based teaching programme, ‘Ganita-Ganaka’, will be introduced for students of Classes 3 to 5 to improve foundational maths skills. Students of Class 4 and 5 will be taught foundational literacy and numeracy skills under ‘Odu Karnataka’. ‘Marusinchana’ Programme with focus on increasing the learning capacity of Class 6 to 10 students of government schools with very low levels of learning, will be extended throughout the state.

The government plans to provide AI–based ‘Kalika Deepa’ programme, ‘Jnana Setu’, I-Code Labs. The ‘Vidya Vijeta’ programme will provide CET/NEET/JEE training and Rs 5 crore will be provided in the current year to continue this programme.

School Education

500 new Karnataka Public Schools to be opened at Rs. 2,500 crore with aid from Asian Development Bank.

Pre-primary classes will be expanded to 5,000 government schools at Rs.70 crore.

Guest teachers/lecturers’ honourarium enhanced by Rs 2,000.

Mid-day meal Cooks’ honorarium increased by Rs 1,000.

100 higher primary schools upgraded to high schools; 50 high schools to PU colleges.

“Nirantara” attendance tracking via face recognition to be taken up.

Bilingual sections in 4,000 schools for english/mother tongue fluency.

Computer/science labs added in 500 more schools (already in 2,710).

Under ‘Skill at School’ 7,500 students to be trained in 150 upgraded ITIs.

Rs. 725 crore for school/PU college facilities (classrooms, toilets); Rs. 50 crore for furniture.

Rs 46 crore for new kitchen tools/modernization in 16,347 schools under Mid-Day Meal scheme.

50 Kalyana Karnataka Schools upgraded to Karnataka Public Schools at Rs.200 crore.

5,267 teaching posts in Kalyana Karnataka schools will be filled; 5,000 more vacancies rationalized.

Higher Education

A Rs. 2,500 crore programme (World Bank-supported) will strengthen first-grade colleges, set up a Centre of Excellence, and boost research over four years.

Bengaluru City University to be renamed as Dr. Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University.

Rs 301 crore for infrastructure development in Government Engineering College, Polytechnic and Degree colleges including 26 women’s colleges.

Rs. 10 crore for New polytechnics/engineering colleges for equipment, furniture, books.

Professors of Practice to be appointed in 16 govt. engineering colleges to boost employability of students.

UUCMS software upgraded (Rs30 crore) for higher education management.

VTU constituent college to be established in Chintamani (Chikkaballapur) at Rs150 crore.

KKRDB’s Rs.10 crore skill program for 23,000 degree students.

Medical Education

Setting up of RGUHS unit Medical College in Bagalkot and Medical College at Kolar on PPP basis.

Commencing of Allied Health Science Courses in 22 Medical Colleges of the State.

Fully equipped trauma care centres to be built at Kulageri Cross of Badami taluk and Chitradurga.

Regional Endocrinology Centres to be established in Mysuru and Kalaburagi Medical Colleges at Rs 100 crore.

NIMHANS – modelled institutes to be set up in Mysuru and Kalaburagi Medical Colleges at Rs 100 crore each.

A super-specialty hospital to be built up under Koppal Institute of Medical Sciences at Rs.100 crore.

New nursing colleges will be started in Yelburga, Jevargi and Yadgir with KKRDB funds, each costing Rs 6 crore.