State to get 6 Govt. Engineering colleges


To find an early solution to the annual CET trauma, the Karnataka government had to settle for a cut in its share of seats in all streams — engineering, medical and dental — this year. But the government is already gearing up for a better bargain next year.


For the first time, the government has come forward to start six new engineering colleges in the state. Two new colleges will come up in chief minister H D Kumaraswamy’s home turf, Ramanagaram, and his father’s constituency, Hassan. Four government polytechnics — in Chikmagalur, Kushalnagar, Bhadravathi and KR Pet — will be upgraded to engineering colleges.

 
A decision to this effect was taken at a pre-budget meeting chaired by deputy chief minister B S Yediyurappa last week. “All these years, we have not shown interest in starting new engineering colleges because private engineering colleges have come up everywhere and the government has been able to get good share of seats in these colleges. Now we feel that in order to make engineering education more affordable and accessible to Karnataka students, the government has to start new colleges,’’ higher education minister D H Shankaramurthy, who made the proposal, told.

 
The formal announcement is likely to be made in this year’s budget.


 

The higher education department has asked for Rs 100 crore for these colleges. “Since we want to start these colleges as early as possible, we have decided to upgrade government polytechnics which already have sufficient infrastructure. Moreover, the cost involved in starting an engineering college is less than that of a medical college,’’ the minister said.

 
While Ramanagaram has just one engineering college, there are two engineering colleges in Hassan: Malnad College of Engineering and Bahubali College of Engineering (Shravanabelagola). At present, the government does not have its own engineering colleges. University BDT College of Engineering (Davanagere) and University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (Bangalore) are two constituent colleges of Kuvempu University and Bangalore University respectively. Apart from these colleges, there are 12 aided colleges, where government has 95% share in total intake.

 
(TOI:10/02/2007)