Karnataka mulls NRI quota in govt medical colleges

News Network

December 19, 2018

Belagavi, Dec 19: The Karnataka government is considering to introduce Non-Resident Indian (NRI) quota seats in government medical colleges in the state. The move is likely to shore up additional funds for upgrading these state-run institutions.

Medical Education Minister D K Shivakumar said that such a move would help run government medical colleges more efficiently, in addition to extending benefits to employees of the colleges. If implemented, the NRI quota in government colleges will be a major decision, added Shivakumar.

Replying to BJP MLC S V Sankanur in the Legislative Council on Tuesday, Shivakumar also said that his department still intends to hike the tuition fee for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in government medical colleges.

Shivakumar said that the department has proposed to increase the tuition fee for MBBS courses from Rs 17,000 to Rs 50,000 and for postgraduate courses from the present Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh.

The proposal to hike the fee for government quota seats is based on the rising cost of education. Shivakumar has stressed in the past that the government spent Rs 10 lakh to train each medical student, who pay just Rs 17,000.

At present, unaided institutions can keep up to 15% of their seats under NRI quota.

He also said the department sought additional grants for implementing the National Pension Scheme for college employees recruited after 2006.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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