Saudi based Karnataka NRI Forum seeks CET quota for NRIs from state

[email protected] (CD Network)
September 10, 2014

deshpande

Mangalore, Sep 10: Karnataka NRI Forum, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has urged the Karnataka government to allow children of NRIs from states to take the common entrance test (CET) for admission to undergraduate professional courses in the State on the lines of people of Karnataka from outside the State.

A memorandum was recently submitted by Karnataka NRI Forum president Roshan Philip Rodrigues through Mangalore South MLA J R Lobo to higher education minister R V Deshpande in this regard.

According to KNRI Forum, Jeddah, there are around five million Indians working in the six GCC countries and around two million Indians working in Saudi Arabia alone. It has been proven time and again that nearly 80% of all Indians are engaged in blue collar and mediocre level jobs where the salaries are not very attractive compared to the present salary scale of government and private companies in India.

Now, with this mediocre income, when the children pass their XII standard, through Indian CBSE, Delhi, the children are not allowed to appear for the state sponsored CET tests, especially in Karnataka, not even the meritorious students. They are told that they should avail seats in professional colleges like medical and engineering under NRE quota by paying huge donations, which ranges from 75 lakhs to 1.5 crore, depending upon the college, course and the state they choose. “The economic condition of many Kannadiga NRIs, particularly working in the Gulf region is not so well as earlier, and many of them are managing hand to mouth existence. Many of them are not in a position to pay heavy capitation fee in private colleges," the Forum said.

Kerala, Maharashtra and almost all northern states allow NRI children to appear for CET exams of their states.

 President of Forum requested Mangalore MLA J R Lobo and higher education minister R V Deshpande to do all that is necessary to scrap the policy of excluding NRI students from Karnataka state CET exams and give them an equal opportunity together with local candidates to appear for CET. Let merit be the criterion for both local and NRI students and nothing else, he said.

Higher education minister R V Deshpande gave assurance of doing the needful. J R Lobo said that he will take necessary action for this cause and will be regularly in touch with the government of Karnataka for positive action.

Karnataka NRI Forum Jeddah has also requested all Karnataka associations of GCC and other nations to send such memorandum through their embassies.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 3,2025

arrival.jpg

Mangaluru, Dec 3: A group of Congress workers gathered at the Mangaluru International Airport on Wednesday to welcome AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, but the reception quickly turned into a display of support for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Venugopal arrived in the city to participate in the centenary commemoration of the historic dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Narayana Guru. The event, organised by the Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, in association with the Mangalore University Sri Narayana Guru Study Chair, is being held on the university’s Konaje campus.

KPCC general secretary Mithun Rai and several party workers had assembled at the airport to receive Venugopal. However, the moment he stepped out, workers began raising slogans backing Shivakumar.

The university programme will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

This show of support comes just a day after Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar would lead the government “when the high command decides.” The chief minister made the comment after a breakfast meeting at Shivakumar’s residence—another public display of camaraderie between the two leaders amid ongoing attempts by the party high command to downplay their leadership rivalry.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Mangaluru: Chaos erupted at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) after IndiGo flight 6E 5150, bound for Mumbai, was repeatedly delayed and ultimately cancelled, leaving around 100 passengers stranded overnight. The incident highlights the ongoing country-wide operational disruptions affecting the airline, largely due to the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for crew.

The flight was initially scheduled for 9:25 PM on Tuesday but was first postponed to 11:40 PM, then midnight, before being cancelled around 3:00 AM. Passengers expressed frustration over last-minute communication and the lack of clarity, with elderly and ailing travellers particularly affected. “Though the airline arranged food, there was no proper communication, leaving us confused,” said one family member.

An IndiGo executive at MIA cited the FDTL rules, designed to prevent pilot fatigue by limiting crew working hours, as the cause of the cancellation. While alternative arrangements, including hotel stays, were offered, about 100 passengers chose to remain at the airport, creating tension. A replacement flight was arranged but also faced delays due to the same constraints, finally departing for Mumbai around 1:45 PM on Wednesday. Passengers either flew, requested refunds, or postponed their travel.

The Mangaluru delay is part of a broader crisis for IndiGo. The airline has been forced to make “calibrated schedule adjustments”—a euphemism for widespread cancellations and delays—after stricter FDTL norms came into effect on November 1.

While an IndiGo spokesperson acknowledged unavoidable flight disruptions due to technology issues, operational requirements, and the updated crew rostering rules, the DGCA has intervened, summoning senior airline officials to explain the chaos and outline corrective measures.

The ripple effect has been felt across the country, with major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai reporting numerous cancellations. The Mangaluru incident underscores the systemic operational strain currently confronting India’s largest carrier, leaving passengers nationwide grappling with uncertainty and delays.

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