Belagavi winter session: Karnataka assembly passes four bills

Belagavi: Four Bills, including one that proposes to upgrade the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) into an autonomous institution like an IIT, was passed by Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Monday.

Established by Sir M Visvesvaraya in 1917, the UVCE is currently a constituent college of Bangalore University.

Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, who piloted the Visvesvaraya Engineering College University Bill in the assembly said administrative and academic autonomy was needed for the further growth of UVCE that has grown in stature.

The bill provisions for 25 percent of admissions through the JEE, he said, We want good talent from across India to come to Bengaluru.”

However, MLAs Sharath Bachegowda and Priyank Kharge in their intervention during the discussion on the bill urged the government to make 100 percent admissions for local students through the common entrance test (CET).

“Since the UVCE is not centrally-funded, why should we have 25 percent seats for JEE,” they sought to know.

Narayan, who initially accepted the proposal to amend and have 100 percent admissions through the CET, however, at the time of passage of the bill said that the existing clause will remain and the government will examine the changes later.

Karnataka Municipal Corporations and Certain Other Law (Amendment) Act, 2021 that will circumvent a High Court order that required the BBMP to refund Rs 2,362 crore collected as ground rent, license fee, building license fee, scrutiny fee, and so on, was also passed by the assembly.

Karnataka Certain Inams Abolition and Certain Other Law (Amendment) Bill, 2021, and the Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2021, were also passed by the assembly.