It's Vikala Chetana Yatra, not Jan Chetana: Rai

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Ahmed Anwar )

October 26, 2011

Mangalore, October 26: Dubbing the BJP veteran L K Advani's 'Jan Chetana Yatra' as 'Vikala Chetana (handicapped) Yatra', Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee president and Bantwal MLA B Ramanath Rai taunted the 84-year-old leader asking him how could his party rally against corruption in Karnataka, where the its own government is immersed in rampant corruption.

Addressing the media persons at DCC office here on Wednesday, Mr Rai questioned the BJP leaders, if they have any moral right to speak against corruption, when their top leaders are openly involved in monstrous scandals in Karnataka and marching into jail one by one.

“Former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who is also the first BJP chief minister of a south Indian state, has landed in jail, along with his ministerial colleagues Katta Subrahmanya Naidu and S N Krishnaiah Shetty. Another former BJP minister G Janardhana Reddy is in Chanchagalaguda jail in Hyderabad for illegal mining in Andhra Pradesh. Moreover Home Minister R Ashoka and Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani are now facing land grabbing charges. The list of politicians from the ruling BJP to face a police probe into land grab charges, is still growing. In this juncture, does the BJP possess moral any right to take out an-anti corruption rally in Karnataka?” he questioned.

“This Yatra is nothing but a futile bid to rekindle the political image of the octogenarian leader and his party”, he stated.

Taking a dig at Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Mr Rai said that the latter is trying to justify the corruption of State government by pointing fingers at Centre.

He also satirized CM's new promise of 'pothole-free roads' in the state, recalling his predecessor's promise of 'hut-free-state'. “Yeddyurappa ended up in jail without building houses for poor. Now his successor has come up with a new promise. These are all examples for their political bankruptcy,” Mr Rai said.

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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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