Schools should not be reopened in Karnataka till covid-19 comes under control: Siddaramaiah

News Network

October 9, 2020

Bengaluru, Oct 9: Opposition leader in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah urged the state government not to reopen the schools until the Covid-19 comes under control.

In a letter to Minister for Primary and Higher Education S Suresh Kumar, he said the Covid cases have been increasing day by day in the state as compared to other states.

He said it is true that he earlier supported holding examinations, but today’s situation is different and the pandemic is yet to come under control and at this juncture it is not the right time to reopen Schools.

Alleging that the government is giving wrong figures and claiming the situation under control, however, the situation is different when looking at the actual figures.

According to statistics by the Government, 20,256 children below 10 years are affected and above 11 to 20 years 47,061 affected. So far 61 children have died due to the virus and the government hiding the death rate also, he added.

In Bengaluru rural so far 99 persons died due to virus but as per his information 80 persons died in Doddaballapur, when go into the district wise records the death rate is higher then what government claimed, he alleged.

He said with all these difficulties and when schools reopened no one can stop the SOPs from the children besides their parents will be more fearful of all these problems.

There are incidents in other States where the schools opened and cases increased.

The government should think before reopening the schools and it was better to postpone for some more time. The online classes are already held in urban areas and it should be continued in rural areas with necessary facilities.

Siddaramaiah urged the State government to promote all the students to next class this year and open the Schools only after taking expert's opinion and the Covid comes under control.

"When elders themselves were not wearing the masks properly, how can you expect school children to wear it continuously, will they not feel irritation, irrespective of whatever the claim may be by experts", he questioned.

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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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