Temple Town still in shock

Mangalore, February 15: A day after the unexpected demise of Higher Education Minister Dr V S Acharya, thousands of his fans and supporters across the twin districts of coastal Karnataka, especially in Temple Town of Udupi are still in shock.

An eerie silence prevailed at 'Ravi Kiran', Acharya's home at Kadiyali in Udupi, a day after his mortal remains were consigned to flames.

His elder son, Raviraj Acharya, a doctor, has only one thing to say that "it was quiet unexpected."

Grief-stricken family members still have no words to express even when social, religious, political leaders and officials visit them to express their condolence.

The BJP workers, who were seen busy last evening garlanding the portraits, lighting lamp, making stretcher of bamboo and making arrangements for final rites, on Wednesday met each other exchanging their views how to take forward the ideals of Dr Acharya.

It was an undeclared bundh on Tuesday in the Temple Town, as shops and business establishments downed shutters voluntarily as soon as the news of their beloved leader spread through TV channels and SMSs even before party workers made a request.

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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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