CM inaugurates Linear Accelerator at KMC Hospital

January 4, 2012

Mangalore, January 4: Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda inaugurated the Linear Accelerator at the department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Attavar, here on Wednesday.

Dedicating this state-of-the-art machine, CM appreciated KMC for providing modern facilities and quality treatment to citizens of Mangalore.

Spending an amount of nearly Rs 6 crore for the linear accelerator itself shows that KMC hospital is dedicated in its commitment towards eradicating ailments of the general public, he said.

CM also said that the contribution of the Manipal group towards health care and education sectors, especially in coastal Karnataka is commendable.

CEO of Manipal Health Enterprises Rajen Padukone said, with the installation of latest state of the art Linear Accelerator, the Department of Radiotherapy of KMC is now capable of accurate.

“They are very safe with least side effects to the patients. The treatment delivery will be fast and ensures better patient comfort. The machine is so advanced that the accurate delivery will be fast to the required site can be confirmed”, he said.

Three Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy, Intensity Modulated Radio Therapy, Image Guided Radio Therapy and Stereotactic Radiotherapy are some of the various high end treatments under this Linear Accelerator, he said.

Higher Education Minister V S Acharya unveiled the plaque.

President and Chancellor of Manipal University Padmabhushan Dr. Ramdas M Pai presided over the function.

District in-charge Minister Krishna J Palemar, Deputy Speaker of Karnataka Assembly Yogish Bhat, Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Pro-Chancellor of Manipal University Dr. HS Ballal were also present.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

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.

Comments