BENGALURU: Karnataka govt has constituted a five-member cabinet sub-committee to examine challenges faced by students and recommend reforms in the education sector, with issues ranging from examination integrity and education costs to infrastructure, mental health and employment-oriented skilling.The committee, headed by health and family welfare minister U T Khader, includes higher education minister Basavaraj Rayareddy, home minister Priyank Kharge, medical education and skill development minister Sharan Prakash Patil and school education minister Madhu Bangarappa. It has to submit the report in one month’s time.The committee was constituted following a Cabinet decision taken on August 21. According to an official memorandum issued on August 26, the panel will examine six broad areas and submit a report with recommendations.Preventing paper leaks and malpractice is among the key priorities. The committee will look at measures to ensure transparency, fairness and accountability in state examinations and recruitment processes, besides establishing a fixed, time-bound examination and recruitment calendar.The panel will also examine the cost of education, including regulation of fees charged by private educational institutions and oversight of coaching centres, with a focus on reducing the financial burden on students and their families.On public education infrastructure, the committee will examine ways to strengthen govt schools, pre-university colleges and universities. This will include addressing teacher vacancies and shortages of laboratories, libraries, hostels and other essential facilities.Govt has also tasked the panel with examining curriculum, skilling and industry linkages. The committee will explore aligning curricula with emerging employment opportunities and industry requirements, while promoting skill development, apprenticeships and internships and strengthening partnerships between educational institutions and industry.Student mental health and wellbeing is another area identified for intervention. The committee will examine ways to strengthen counselling and student support systems and address academic and examination-related stress, particularly in coaching hubs, hostels and residential educational institutions.The final area is access and equity, with the panel asked to examine scholarships and financial assistance, expansion of hostel capacity, promotion of girls’ education and support for students from SC/ST, OBC, minority and first-generation learner communities.The cabinet sub-committee will hold wider consultations with students, parents, teachers, educational institutions and other stakeholders across Karnataka. It can also seek assistance from subject experts in the respective fields.Higher education department has been designated as the nodal department for the cabinet sub-committee. The panel will submit its report to govt after completing the exercise.
