Beary Academy opposes merger with Minorities Welfare Department

February 15, 2011

Mangalore, February 15: Karnataka Beary Sahithya Academy has expressed its resistance to the proposal of bringing it under the Karnataka State Wakf Foundation for Minority Welfare Department (MWD), while Urdu Academy is all set to be moved out of Department of Kannada and Culture (DKC).

Beary Academy President MB Abdul Rahman has said that he is not ready to agree with any proposal of linking the newly formed Academy with MWD. However, he clarified he did not receive any formal notification or proposal regarding switching off the control of the Academy from DKC.

“I had strongly opposed the proposal of merger between Urdu Academy and Beary Academy in the beginning. I have not received any formal notification or proposal of bringing my Academy under the ambit of MWD and if I receive such a proposal I will strongly oppose it”, he said.

Pointing out “ideological reasons” for his reluctance to join hands with MWD, Abdul Rahman said: “There are several Academies under the DKC and all of them are receiving uniform grant and priority and hence there is a common opportunity for the development of all the regional languages and culture. If the Beary Academy is put under MWD from DKC, it will lose a great opportunity.”

Although there are chances of receiving more grants if the Academy came under MWD, the question of harmony, uniformity and equality takes priority in this matter, he further added.

Karajola clarifies

Meanwhile, Kannada and Culture Minister Govinda Karajola has clarified that the government is currently thinking only about the reconciliation of Urdu Academy with MWD, although there was a proposal of bringing both Beary and Urdu Academy under its control.

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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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