Blow to Modi govt as Interpol gives clean chit to Dr Zakir Naik, cancels red corner notice

Bengaluru, May 4: First year Pre-University results of Karnataka Department of Pre-University Education will be released soon.

According to a report, the first year PU result will be released on the registered mobile numbers of students or parents on May 5. The report also asked the colleges which offers PU course that the PU results should not be released on the notice boards.

This measure has been taken keeping in view to avoid gatherings in and around the institutions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Deccan Herald report also said the students who are not able to clear the exams after the PU results are declared will be given a chance to appear for supplementary examinations in college level and further details on this will be shared with the institutes by the department in due course.

"After the declaration of results, colleges can conduct online classes for students who are eligible to attend second year PU classes," the report added.

The state is yet to complete the SSLC (class 10) and PU second year (higher secondary or class 12) examinations as the spread of coronavirus and subsequent lockdown announced by the government has put the whole academic activities out of gear in the state.

Recently, the education minister has said the SSLC examinations in the state will be conducted as it is a "crucial stage in a student's life".

"We will consider it (SSLC examinations) when the situation becomes normal," The New Indian Express quoted the minister as saying.

The Karnataka SSLC exam was scheduled to be held between March 27 and April 9, and over eight lakh students had registered for the exam.

Updates on the date and other decisions regarding PU second year exams are awaited.

Earlier, the school education department had decided to promote class 7 and 8 students without any exams in the wake of lockdown aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19.

Bengaluru, Feb 4: Congress leader and former minister U T Khader today demanded an “objective” probe by an IAS officer into the sedition case the police have booked against a school in Bidar for a play students staged on the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

On January 26, the Shaheen Primary and High School was charged by the Bidar New Town police with sedition on January 26. This was based on a complaint by an Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP) worker who claimed that the play staged by the students on January 21 “insulted” Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On January 30, the police arrested Nazbunnisa, the mother of an 11-year-old student and Fareeda Begum, a head-teacher in the school.

“This shows how today in India and in Karnataka, the BJP is looking to suppress the voices of people. Sedition cases have no value anymore,” UT Khader told a news conference.

“When a complaint on sedition is filed, action must be taken after obtaining legal opinion. But today, a written complaint by any BJP worker is enough to brand someone as anti-national. Even schoolchildren aren’t spared,” Khader said.

“An IAS officer should be appointed to objectively probe this. If something is found, then the police can continue the investigation,” Khader said. “But the government should pressurize the police. We’ve seen what happened in Mangaluru,” he said, referring to the police shootout that killed two people during an anti-CAA protest. “I know it’s difficult for officials to resist political pressure, but a line must be drawn. All officials must come together and send the government a message, that they will not be bogged down to pressure that’s against societal interests,” he added.

Khader said he lacked faith in the BJP government. “That’s because the BJP tends to give election tickets to those who plant bombs,” Khader said, citing the example of terror-accused Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur. “Even the Aditya Rao case (Mangaluru airport bomb planter)...we don’t know what’s happening. They just want to hush it up,” Khader charged.

Bengaluru, Jul 10: Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu on Thursday said that the government is planning to increase number of COVID-19 testing labs and technicians in the state.

Speaking to news agency, Sriramulu said, "We have 72 labs where COVID-19 tests are conducted. They are under pressure with increased number of tests. When lab technicians are quarantined, it gets difficult to complete work. So we are considering to increase number of labs and technicians."

Speaking on the community transmission of COVID-19 in Bengaluru, he said, "The experts are already deliberating over the issue of community transmission. According to me the community spread has not taken place yet."

Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister Madhu Swamy said that the government is calling for foreign investment for which Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has been hired by the state government.

Speaking to the reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Swamy said, "We call for foreign investment in Karnataka for which we need an agency who has to coordinate, who has to bring outsiders in Karnataka to invest in the state. For that we have hired a company by name Boston consulting Group(BCG) we will be paying them Rs 1 crore for twelve months."