State committed to fund education: Oscar Fernandes

Mangalore, Nov 30: The government is keen on providing as much resources as possible to the teaching faculty in the country. The state is committed to fund education, said Union Minister for Transport, Roads and Highways Oscar Fernandes.

Delivering the inaugural address in the 27th Statutory Conference of All India Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisations (AIFUCTO) at Loyola Hall, St Aloysius College here on Saturday, he said that the challenge was to provide education to every child in the country. “We want the gross enrollment ratio to increase upto 30 per cent by the year 2020. If we empower the people here through education, we will continue to be an intellectual power. And to motivate students to opt for research will be a challenging task for us,” he said.

He said that teaching was recognised as one of the top professions in the world today. Teachers take the leadership role for individuals in the society. The teaching in our country in the olden days and in the future will have a distinct change, because the students today are a different lot. There is recognition worldwide that the most talented students are from our country.

Speaking on the occasion, Mangalore South MLA J R Lobo said that the institutions of higher learning, universities, teachers and professors had to be a guiding force to youngsters and acknowledge their ability to manifest themselves. “Teachers have a greater goal towards guiding the youth towards higher learning. However, none of the universities are providing the required environment and field to manifest themselves and we are lacking somewhere. We need to introspect and think how the centres of higher learning can be raised to world-level standards,” he said.

MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik spoke on the need to sensitise students towards societal needs, and transforming youth into enlightened human resources.

In his presidential speech, Vice Chancellor of Mangalore University Prof T C Shivashankara Murthy laid stress on increasing the gross enrollment ratio of students in higher educational institutions in the country, especially in rural areas.

Chairman of the organising committee Dr A M Narahari welcomed the gathering.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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