Karnataka: Preferred destination for higher education

Mangalore, October 2: Karnataka Examination Authority of Government of Karnataka has successfully completed the admission process for the medical and engineering courses for the year 2010-2011, Minister for Higher Education VS Acharya said.

Speaking to the media persons on sidelines of the 16^th annual all India Conference of National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) at Sanganiketan here on Saturday, he said that there are a total of 48045 engineering and medical seats including BE, MBBS, BDS, BUMS, BAMS and BHMS seats available in 297 higher education institutions across the state. Among them, all 1822 medical seats have been filled up and out of 41091 engineering seats, 38105 seats have been filled up. As many as 6652 seats are still vacant because of the unavailability of the aspirant students, he said.

Denying allegation that the government institutions lack basic infrastructure and good faculty, Acharya said that the students prefer government and private colleges equally in the state.

“Karnataka is the most preferred destination for Higher education in entire country”, he added.

Before addressing media persons Acharya inaugurated the two-day conference. In his inaugural address, Minister said that Karnataka has emerged No 1 state in the country as far as the banking industry and financial management are concerned. District-in-charge Minister Krishna J Palemar, Mayor Rajani Dugganna, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel were among those present. Coastal Digest

Karnataka revises doctors payscales

BANGALORE: Cheering news for doctors and lecturers this festive season. A salary hike for doctors and UGC scales for lecturers.The state cabinet on Friday decided to increase the salaries of its doctors by Rs 4,500 to Rs 8,000 and regularize the services of services of 462 doctors and 107 dentists working on contract basis.

The approved monthly hikes are: Rs 8,000 for post-graduates; Rs 5,000 for post-graduate diploma holders; Rs 5,000 for post-graduates (in-service); Rs 3,000 for post-graduate diploma holders (in-service); Rs 6,000 for doctors in rural areas; and Rs 4,500 for those who have served in rural areas. Briefing the media after the cabinet meeting here on Friday, home minister V S Acharya said this was what the government could do in the existing financial circumstances. The doctors had last month threatened to resign if their demands for pay revision and regularization of services were not met. They demanded the stipend be increased from Rs 6,000 to Rs 15,000 for interns; from Rs 11,000 to Rs 25,000 for post-graduates. Here’s the bonanza for lecturers in the state. As many as 11,500 lecturers in 339 government colleges and 298 private aided colleges will get salaries based on UGC scale. The Centre sponsors 80%, while the state’s share is 20%. This means an annual additional expenditure of Rs 954 crore — Rs 763 crore from the Centre and Rs 191 crore from the state. (TOI)