Karnataka BJP govt to tone down Tipu’s heroism, include old Hindu dynasty of Kashmir in textbooks

News Network

March 25, 2022

Bengaluru, Mar 25: In a further push towards saffronisation of education in Karnataka, the school textbook review committee set up by the state BJP government has recommended toning down the heroic story of Tipu Sultan besides inclusion of chapters on the Ahom dynasty that ruled northeastern regions for 600 years and the Karkota Hindu dynasty of Kashmir valley.

The committee headed by Hindutva writer Rohith Chakrathirtha submitted the recommendations a few weeks ago and a formal order was also issued to incorporate the changes in the textbooks.

According to sources in the Primary and Secondary Education Department, the panel suggested that the chapter on Tipu Sultan be retained but without any glorification of the 18th-century Mysuru ruler.

"We have not removed the chapter on Tipu but it would definitely be not a glorified one," said a source who was privy to the recommendations.

The source further said that as a ruler, it is necessary to study Tipu. "We have cleared the imbalance. There was too much glorification in the books drafted by the Prof Baraguru Ramachandrappa-headed panel under the previous Congress government. That has been removed and we have maintained a neutral tone."

The government was under pressure from various sections, including BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan, to drop the chapter from textbooks. They argued that Tipu was a 'fanatic' who killed and converted Hindus in Kodagu to Islam, besides looting temples. Education Minister B C Nagesh, who assumed charge of the department, constituted a committee to revise textbooks and appointed Chakrathirtha as chairperson on Sept 8, 2021.

Following the recommendations, the department has ordered the Textbook Society to include the changes in the textbooks, which will be distributed in the forthcoming academic year.

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Karnataka to scrap separate entrance exams for private universities from 2025

News Network

September 20,2024

Starting in the 2025-26 academic year, private universities in Karnataka offering professional courses will no longer conduct separate entrance exams. This decision follows a directive from the state’s Higher Education Department, prompting private universities to form an association and agree to this significant change.

In a recent meeting with Higher Education Minister Dr. M. C. Sudhakar, representatives from 17 private universities confirmed their decision to discontinue individual entrance tests. Of the 27 private universities in the state, 17 offer professional courses, and they have collectively agreed to accept scores from existing national or state-level entrance exams.

“Some universities will consider JEE scores, others will rely on KCET, and a few are inclined towards COMEDK,” Dr. Sudhakar stated, leaving the choice of examination to the universities themselves. However, the department has also suggested that the universities consider a unified entrance test for admissions.

Looking ahead, Dr. Sudhakar hinted that the government may introduce a common entrance test for general degree courses at private universities as well. "As government colleges and universities currently don’t require entrance exams for general degree courses, we haven’t made any decisions on this yet," he explained.

The meeting also addressed concerns over the high fees charged by private universities. To regulate this, the universities were instructed to establish fee fixation committees, headed by retired judges, as required by law. These committees will be responsible for determining tuition fees. Additionally, the government will continue to regulate fees for 40% of seats in professional courses that are filled through KCET.

In an effort to bring greater uniformity among private institutions, the government is considering enacting a common law for all private universities, which would replace the individual acts currently governing each university. This would place all private universities under a single regulatory framework.

This move is expected to streamline the admissions process and create a more standardized system for both professional and general degree programs across Karnataka's private universities.

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