State calls for investment in education

Having one of the largest pools of engineering graduates in India, it has been a plus for Karnataka in attracting big ticket investors. To build on the pool of quality human resource in the state, the government is scouting for investors to put up education infrastructure.

During the Global Investors Meet (GIM) in Bangalore, no major agreements in the education sector were learnt to have been signed. However, Karnataka government officials said it is making plans to attract investment into the state by offering potential investment opportunities. It has offered investors to look at setting up a Rs 30 crore institute in mining and metallurgy at Sandur, Bellary and Koppal, a Rs 30 crore institute in Karwar and Mangalore for marine engineering, aircraft maintenance institute in Hubli and Mysore as well other institutes in areas of chemical engineering, food processing technology, jewellery design, composite materials and finishing schools.

T V Mohandas Pai, head of HR at Infosys, said that the government must increase gross enrollment ratio from 12 per cent to 30 per cent in the next five years.

He suggested that the government must offer grants and land for 500 new colleges to come up in the private sector in North Karnataka. The state has 172 engineering colleges, 22 universities, 25 national institutes and 83 law colleges.