DAVANGERE: Higher Education Minister D.H. Shankaramurthy said the merger of the All India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD) with the Congress would have no serious political impact in the State.

"Nothing will happen to the Government with the merger of the AIPJD with the Congress," he said adding that the Janata Dal (Secular)-BJP coalition would be as strong as it was now.

Guest lecturers

The Government has decided to pay Rs. 5,000 to guest lecturers serving in government degree colleges. The Government would soon pass an order to this effect, the Minister said. The Government would soon appoint over 500 lecturers through the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC). Another 500 lecturers would be appointed next year to all the government degree colleges.

Students should not be deprived of proper coaching owing to shortage of lecturers, he said adding that 14 new degree colleges would be started this year.

The Government had earmarked Rs. 1 crore to each degree college and Rs. 14 lakh each to colleges for laboratories.

Six computers each would be given to 64 government colleges, he said.

Single curriculum

Mr. Shankaramurthy said he had an interaction with academicians recently on improving quality of education. He said he would again arrange an inter-university meet to discuss ways and means to improve education standards in the State. The Government had plans to introduce a single curriculum and a common academic calendar all over the State in degree colleges.

Subsidy for students

Mr. Shankaramurthy said the State Government had for the first time sanctioned Rs. 24 crore subsidy to students getting payment seats in medical, dental and engineering courses.

He said a student getting a payment seat in medicine would get a subsidy of Rs. 90,000, while dental a student would get Rs. 80,000. An engineering student getting a payment seat would get a subsidy of Rs. 24,000. This is the first time that a State Government had given subsidy to poor students getting payment seats, he said.

The Minister said two medical colleges had already been started in Belgaum and Mandya. Two more medical colleges would soon be started in Hassan and Shimoga.

He said the Indian Medical Council had been requested to visit Shimoga and Hassan and sanction permission for the medical colleges.

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