Karnataka: Engineering to be taught in Kannada in 4 colleges

Bengaluru: Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan on Wednesday said engineering will be taught in Kannada in four colleges from the current year.

"Teaching engineering in Kannada will begin in four colleges from the current year itself. Bheemanna Khandre Institute of Technology, Bhalki (Civil), BLDAE VP Dr P G Halakatti College of Engineering, Vijayapura (Civil), SJC Institute of Technology, Chikkaballapura (Mechanical), and Maharaja Institute of Technology, Mysuru (Mechanical) will start teaching in Kannada," he said.

National Board of Accreditation (NBA) accredited colleges have been permitted to teach engineering in Kannada, he said, adding that up to 30 students can be admitted. The minister also said a consensual agreement has been reached between the government and private colleges not to hike the fees of engineering courses in private colleges.

The fees for the engineering courses in private colleges for students who secure admission this year under government quota will continue as earlier in two different slabs of Rs 65,340 and Rs 58,806, he said.

"While private colleges wanted to increase the fee by 30 per cent, the committee headed by Prof. Karisiddappa, Vice-Chancellor of Vishweshwaraiah Technological University (VTU), had recommended a hike of 15-25 per cent. But, in view of the COVID-19 situation, representatives of private colleges were convinced not to go for a hike," the minister was quoted as saying by his office in a release.

This decision was taken at a meeting held with private college representatives at Vikasa Soudha here, it said.

The other important decisions taken at the meeting include fixing a maximum cap of Rs 20,000 each for fees collected in the form of 'miscellaneous fees' and 'skill fees'. Also miscellaneous and skill fees, along with admission fees should not be remitted at colleges, but at the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), it said.