The highest allocation in this Budget, after agriculture, goes to the Education Department — Rs. 18,666 crore of which Rs. 15,599 crore is for primary and secondary educationand Rs. 3,067 crore for higher education.
Incentives promised for students have been upgraded. Compared to the computers promised for three SSLC toppers from government high schools (in each block) in the last budget, Akash tablets will be given to students scoring 60 per cent and above marks in the first year of engineering and science courses in government colleges. Cash incentives of Rs. 93.94 crore have been promised for 1.47 lakh Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes students scoring 60 per cent and above marks.
Emphasis has been laid on providing Internet connectivity in government high schools and pre-university colleges. A sum of Rs. 22 crore has been set aside for establishing KSWAN (Karnataka State Wide Area Network) connectivity and broadband connectivity in all government and polytechnic colleges over the next three years.
Despite the allocation being high, there is nothing mentioned specifically on the Right to Education Act. “There is nothing about the effective implementation of RTE Act in the forthcoming academic (2013-14) year. Moreover, many heads listed in the current budget also receive funds from the Union government as part of financial sharing under RTE Act,” said Niranjan Aradhya from the National Law School of India University. The recently divided Bangalore University also finds a mention in the budget, under which there is a proposal to start 10 first grade colleges. A sum of Rs. 10 crore each has been allotted for the development of Rani Chennamma University and the Women’s University in Bijapur.
A sum of Rs. 1,266 crore has been allotted to the Medical Education Department. Proposals have been made to increase seat intake for MBBS from 150 to 250 in VIMS, Bellary, KIMS, Hubli and MMC, Mysore.
In the new medical colleges in Hassan, Mandya, Bidar, Shimoga, Raichur and Belgaum, intake will be increased from 100 to 150. Proposals have been made to upgrade the Dharwad Institute of Mental Health and KIMS, Hubli. Funds worth Rs. 300 crore have been promised for basic facilities in 4,000 hostels of the Social Welfare, Backward Classes and Minority departments.
