Karnataka Budget 2025: CM Siddaramaiah Announces Boost for Study Abroad Scholarship Amount, Minority Education

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today presented his 16th Budget. (Representative image. Source: ANI)

As per the budget, minority students will be reimbursed 50 per cent of the fees for admissions availed through KEA into professional courses. The Karnataka government also announced that action will be taken to upgrade Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) colleges in areas with high minority population by starting additional classes.

The Minister also announced an increase of Rs 10 lakh in the amount given to minority students under the National Foreign Student Scholarship. As per the budget announcement, this amount will be increased from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.

Additionally, a PU college with hostel will be established in Ullal for girl students belonging to the minority communities.

A few more initiatives have been launched for students, youth of minority category such as career guidance and training for competitive exams in minority post-matric hostels. The state will also encourage minority youth to launch new start-ups through Karnataka Minority Development Corporation.

Also, to provide formal education along with religious education in madrasas, computer, smart boards and other necessary basic facilities will be provided to the students to prepare them for writing SSLC examination through NIOS.

The state also announced that Commerce stream will be started in 62 Morarji Desai Residential Schools for minorities in the state in which PU classes were started in the year 2023-24.

Other Education Initiatives

– 500 new Karnataka Public Schools to be opened at Rs 2,500 crore with aid from Asian Development Bank.

– Pre-primary classes will be expanded to 5,000 government schools at Rs 70 crore

– Guest teachers/lecturers’ honorarium enhanced by Rs 2,000.

– Mid-day meal Cooks’ honorarium increased by Rs 1,000.

– 100 higher primary schools upgraded to high schools; 50 high schools to PU colleges.

– “Nirantara” attendance tracking via face recognition to be taken up.

– Bilingual sections in 4,000 schools for English/ mother tongue fluency.

– Computer/science labs added in 500 more schools (already in 2,710).

– Under “Skill at School” 7,500 students to be trained in 150 upgraded ITIs.

– Rs 725 crore for school/PU college facilities (classrooms, toilets); Rs 50 crore for furniture.

– Rs 46 crore for new kitchen tools/ modernisation in 16,347 schools under Mid-Day Meal scheme.

– 50 Kalyana Karnataka Schools upgraded to Karnataka Public Schools at Rs 200 crore.

– 5,267 teaching posts in Kalyana Karnataka schools will be filled; 5,000 more vacancies rationalised

Initiatives in Higher Education

– A Rs. 2,500 crore program (World Bank-supported) will strengthen first-grade colleges, set up a Centre of Excellence, and boost research over four years.

– Bengaluru City University to be renamed as Dr. Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University.

– Rs 301 crore for infrastructure development in Government Engineering College, Polytechnic and Degree colleges including 26 women’s colleges. Rs 10 crore for New polytechnics/engineering colleges for equipment, furniture, books.

– Professors of Practice to be appointed in 16 govt. engineering colleges to boost employability of students.

– UUCMS software upgraded (Rs30 crore) for higher education management.

– VTU constituent college to be established in Chintamani (Chikkaballapur) at Rs 150 crore.

– KKRDB’s Rs 10 crore skill programme for 23,000 degree students.

Initiatives in Medical Education

– Setting up of RGUHS unit Medical College in Bagalkot and Medical College at Kolar on PPP basis.

– A 500 bedded hospital at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital will be completed at Rs 297 crore

– Commencing of Allied Health Science Courses in 22 Medical Colleges of the State.

-Fully equipped trauma care centres to be built at Kulageri Cross of Badami taluk and Chitradurga.

– Regional Endocrinology Centres to be established in Mysuru and Kalaburagi Medical Colleges at Rs 100 crore.

– NIMHANS – modelled institutes to be set up in Mysuru and Kalaburagi Medical Colleges at Rs 100 crore each.

– A super-specialty hospital to be built up under Koppal Institute of Medical Sciences at Rs 100 crore.

– New nursing colleges will be started in Yalaburga, Jevaragi and Yadgir with KKRDB funds, each costing Rs 6 crore.

The state government has also announced that Bangalore City University will be renamed as Dr. Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University. To make this a model university in the country, Government Arts College and Government R.C. College will be made constituent colleges of this University.

For job creation, new policies are being implemented in the MSME, tourism and ITBT sectors which generates the most employment. Priority is being given to create an investor-friendly environment in the State, which as a result is attracting more investment and creating new jobs.

Meanwhile, the CM also stated that Karnataka is one of the fastest-growing states in India contributing 8.4 per cent to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “Karnataka has continued its impressive growth trajectory in the year 2024-25 and is poised to achieve a GSDP growth rate of 7.4 per cent, outpacing the national growth rate of 6.4 per cent,” he said.