Decision on Dakshina Kannada, 4 other district soon, says CM as classes 9-12 reopen in rest of Karnataka

coastaldigest.com news network

August 23, 2021

Bengaluru, Aug 23: Schools and Pre-University (PU) colleges here and in other districts of Karnataka where Covid test positivity rate is less than two per cent reopened for students of classes 9-12 on Monday after a gap of five months.

Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai likened the reopening to freedom for students from Covid-19. "Students are very happy. It's like, they have got a freedom today from Covid-19. August 15 is celebrated as a freedom for the country but for our students from classes ninth, tenth, 11th and 12 it's a real freedom for them with the opening of schools," Bommai told reporters after visiting a few schools in the city. He said students were facing a lot of issues in online classes such as communication and network problems but here in the physical classes they can interact with their teachers better.

Apart from better teaching and understanding, students are happy that they are now with their friends, the Chief Minister said. Bommai told teachers, staff and students to follow Covid-19 norms.

"There will be an experts' committee meeting by the month-end. Looking at the situation, we will take a call on two things -- one is regarding border districts and second is classes for class first to eighth standard," the Chief Minister explained.

At an event here, Bommai said if the reopening of schools become successful, August 23 will be celebrated as Education Day just as September 5 is observed as Teachers' Day. He also said that this day is important as it will liberate children from Covid-19. The government decided to start the classes from Monday on the recommendation of the Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19.

The TAC had said that the teachers and other staff in the schools and PU colleges should be vaccinated first. Further, it said the classrooms should be sanitised, social distancing and hand hygiene should be maintained and everyone should wear masks compulsorily. The Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh visited a few schools in the city and interacted with students.

The government decided not to reopen schools and PU colleges in Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada and Mysuru as Covid-19 positivity rate is above two per cent in these districts, government sources said. On the directions of the Chief Minister, the district in-charge ministers visited a few schools in their respective districts on Monday. In November 2020, degree colleges were opened and later in January 2021, 10th and pre-university colleges were opened for a brief period. The experiment could not continue for long as the second wave had hit the country and Karnataka was among the worst affected states reporting over 50,000 cases and about 500 fatalities daily.

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Mangaluru’s KPT becomes India’s first autonomous govt polytechnic

News Network

January 23,2026

Mangaluru: The Karnataka Government Polytechnic (KPT), Mangaluru, has achieved autonomous status from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), becoming the first government polytechnic in the country to receive such recognition in its 78-year history. The status was granted by AICTE, New Delhi, and subsequently approved by the Karnataka Board of Technical Education in October last year.

Officials said the autonomy was conferred a few months ago. Until recently, AICTE extended autonomous status only to engineering colleges, excluding diploma institutions. However, with a renewed national focus on skill development, several government polytechnics across India have now been granted autonomy.

KPT, the second-largest polytechnic in Karnataka, was established in 1946 with four branches and has since expanded to offer eight diploma programmes, including computer science and polymer technology. The institution is spread across a 19-acre campus.

Ravindra M Keni, the first dean of the institution, told The Times of India that AICTE had proposed autonomous status for polytechnic institutions that are over 25 years old. “Many colleges applied. In the first round, 100 institutions were shortlisted, which was further narrowed down to 15 in the second round. We have already completed one semester after becoming an autonomous institution,” he said. He added that nearly 500 students are admitted annually across eight three-year diploma courses.

Explaining the factors that helped KPT secure autonomy, Keni said the institution has consistently recorded 100 per cent admissions and placements for its graduates. He also noted its strong performance in sports, with the college emerging champions for 12 consecutive years, along with active student participation in NCC and NSS activities.

Autonomous status allows KPT to design industry-oriented curricula, conduct examinations, prepare question papers, and manage academic documentation independently. The institution can also directly collaborate with industries and receive priority funding from AICTE or the Ministry of Education. While academic autonomy has been granted, financial control will continue to rest with the state government.

“There will be separate committees for examinations, question paper setting, boards of studies, and boards of examiners. The institution will now have the freedom to conduct admissions without government notifications and issue its own marks cards,” Keni said, adding that new academic initiatives would be planned after a year of functioning under the autonomous framework.

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