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Bengaluru, Oct 18 (IANS) Karnataka has got a Diwali treat – 422 additional postgraduate (PG) medical seats have been sanctioned in government medical colleges for the academic year 2025-26.
Medical Education, Skill Development and Livelihood Minister Sharanprakash R. Patil said, the long standing demand has finally been fulfilled.
Speaking at a press conference held at Vikas Soudha on Saturday, the minister shared detailed information about the development and affirmed that the government aims to ensure high quality higher education.
Patil said the increase of 422 seats includes pre-clinical, para-clinical and clinical subjects. PG seats have been sanctioned in more than 20 departments, including paediatrics, anesthesiology, forensic medicine and microbiology, he said.
“Like previous years, this year too there was a strong demand for PG courses. We had requested approval for 572 seats, of which 422 have been approved. Last year, there were 1,694 PG seats; with this year’s expansion, the total will increase by 2,116 seats. This is truly a Diwali gift for students,” Dr Patil said with delight.
He also said that the National Medical Commission (NMC) has already approved the increase of 450 undergraduate medical seats in the state. He said, for the first time, 15 percent seats in government medical colleges will be reserved for non-resident Indians (NRI quota).
Minister of Medical Education, Skill Development, Livelihood and in-charge of Raichur district, Dr. Sharanprakash R. Patil said the Cabinet decision requiring organizations or associations to obtain permission from the local authorities concerned before conducting activities on government premises is an appropriate step.
Responding to the political developments, the minister said the ban was not imposed by the Congress government but it was first implemented during the tenure of former chief minister Jagadish Shettar.
“We are only implementing what the BJP government came up with. With nothing constructive to do, BJP leaders are now trying to create confusion among the people.”
Defending Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister Priyank Kharge, Minister Patil said that Priyank never said that RSS should be banned.
He clarified, “His statement has been completely misinterpreted. He only said that any organization will have to take permission to conduct activities in government-controlled premises, including school and college campuses. There is nothing wrong in that.”
He further commented, “Misleading the public has become a regular strategy of the BJP. But people will not fall for it.” When asked about the RSS route march in Chittapur, Kalaburagi, Dr. Patil said that he did not have detailed information on the matter.
Reacting to MLA Basanagouda Yatnal’s statement that Muslims should not be allowed to offer namaz in public places, Patil said, “Yatnal speaks only for his constituency – and everyone knows the nature of that constituency. People also know how Yatnal used to behave earlier and how he behaves now. His statements are made only for political gains. No one takes his words seriously.”
–IANS
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