177 minority schools in Mangalore; highest in state

[email protected] (CD Network)
June 18, 2014

Mangalore, Jun 18: The coastal district of Dakshina Kannada, which is known as one of the educational hubs in India, is also a centre of minority education.

akidAccording to the statistics provided by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Mangalore accounts for the highest number of minority schools in Karnataka.

At present, there are 1,059 minority schools, of which 177 schools are in Mangalore. Bangalore Urban district has 160 minority schools.

With the State Cabinet deciding to change the criterion for granting minority status to primary schools, hundreds of schools across the State are likely to become eligible for minority status in the coming months.

This would also mean that the number of seats for children belonging to underprivileged sections in private schools under the RTE would reduce as minority schools are exempted from admitting students under the quota.

A large number of applications of schools, which had applied for minority status were put on the back burner as the definition on minority schools was stayed by the High Court of Karnataka.

The BJP government in July 2012 had notified that a minority school should have 75 per cent intake of students of a notified minority community. On June 13 this year, the State Cabinet decided to reduce the intake to 25 per cent.

Explaining the future course of action, Mohammad Mohsin, Commissioner for Public Instruction, said that once the new guidelines were drafted, the stay order issued by the High Court could be vacated. “Following that, the Directorate of Urdu and Other Minority Language Institutions under the Department of Public Instruction will examine all the parameters and give minority status tag to schools that are eligible,” he said.

Meanwhile, D.Z. Gulshad Ahmed, president of the Karnataka Unaided Minorities Schools Management Association welcomed the new rule. However, he said there was a need for the government to be wary while awarding minority status as several schools now wanted to claim minority status to be exempted from providing admission under the RTE quota.

However, Karnataka Unaided Schools Management Association (KUSMA) termed the new rule unsatisfactory. In a press release, KUSMA said the new definition would only recognise those minorities which are sizeable in any given locality and it would neglect the smaller minorities.

“Such discrimination against smaller minorities would plainly be unconstitutional,” the release said.

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News Network
August 7,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 7: Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, the state's health department issued fresh guidelines for the disposal of bodies of COVID patients.

"Although an increased risk of COVID infection from a dead body to health workers or family members who follow standard precautions while handling the body is unlikely, the lack of scientific data requires the utmost care to avoid the inadvertent spread of COVID-19 during these times," the statement from the health department's press release read, emphasising on the dignity of the dead and the religious and cultural tradition.

The 23-page press release elaborated on guidelines regarding testing, handling of dead bodies and other specificities in relation to the management of COVID-19 bodies.

"Testing should not be insisted in every case of death, but only when they have a recorded history of influenza-like symptoms. The body should be handed over to the family members/ relatives in a dignified manner immediately after swab collection and hospitals should provide handouts with a list of dos and don'ts in English and Kannada laying down relevant information," the statement said.

It added, "At the mortuary, health care workers, mortuary staff and the family of the deceased body shall not come in direct contact with the dead body and must wear full personal protective equipment (PPE). If the family or relative are for any reason unable to cremate or bury the body, the local health authority shall arrange for the dignified last rites as per the religious traditions of the family."

Regarding autopsies (post mortem) on COVID-19 bodies, the state department said that they should be avoided, except in necessary circumstances.

The statement also gave detailed guidelines regarding the appropriate recording of COVID-19 deaths in line with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines.

Additionally, the health department made a statement about the admission procedure for COVID positive patients referred by other district administrations saying, "It is now mandatory for all the referrals from the BBMP admission and discharge of COVID positive patients to be done through the online COVID Hospital Bed Management System (CHBMS)."

The state's count of coronavirus cases was 1,51,449 in the past 24 hours.

So far, a total of 2,804 people have died due to COVID-19 in the state, while the average recovery rate in Karnataka is 49.3 per cent.

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News Network
January 1,2020

Kalaburagi, Jan 1: Fighting penury and partial blindness in one eye, a 39-year-old part-time Kannada lecturer from Kalaburagi district is set to become a commercial tax officer after cracking the Karnataka Administrative Services.

Ambadas Kamble, from Kotana Hipparaga village in Aland taluk, had to take a three-year gap during his school and college years - one-year break after completing Class VII and two years to clear subjects after he failed in II PU examinations. During those three years, he joined his brothers in masonry work to supplement the family's income.

Sweeping aside all hurdles with grit and determination, Ambadas studied Kannada literature for both undergraduate and postgraduate to land the post of a part-time lecturer in a Kalaburagi college. His father died when he was a child, and mother Chandamma supported her family of six - besides, Ambadas, she has two sons and two daughters - by working in houses in the neighbourhood.

Ambadas said he would like to dedicate his success to his mother, who died in the year 2012. "My mother encouraged me to chase my dream - financial difficulties notwithstanding - and allowed me to spend time in the library when my siblings were busy doing menial jobs to fund my education. I'm grateful to my brothers too," he said.

His two brothers are working as masons in Mumbai, having quit studies midway and deciding to support Ambadas - the first in the family to complete graduation. He did high school at Tadkal village in Aland taluk, and college in Kalaburagi.

The lecturer, who's 40% blind in the right eye, cracked the KAS examinations in his third attempt and stood 706th in the state. He has been selected for first-grade officer's post. Alongside, he's doing PhD in Kannada literature.

When his efforts finally paid off, Ambadas landed four job offers: Hostel warden at Morarji Desai hostel, at an SC/ST hostel, post of a lecturer and the tax officer's post. He picked the fourth to serve the state in right earnest.

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News Network
June 28,2020

Mangaluru, Jun 28: In an attempt to curb fast spreading Coronavirus and to bring discipline among the public to follow the guidelines and also as it was found difficult to control the visitors, the City Corporation Mayor Diwakar has ordered closure of the office for one week with immediate effect from Monday.

Public will be banned from entering the MCC building for a period of one week from Monday, he said.

In a circular the Mayor has requested the public to co-operate and help the administration to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

However, a help desk will be set up outside the MCC building where people can submit their applications and requests.

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