Kendriya Vidyalaya at NITK campus no closer to completion than it was when proposed a year ago

Mangaluru: Parents and other stakeholders in the city’s education sector greeted the announcement made by the Union ministry of human resource development (MHRD) that a third branch of Kendriya Vidyalaya would be established in Dakshina Kannada. More than a year has gone by since the MHRD announced that the district would get its third branch of KV at the National Institute of Technology-Karnataka (NITK) campus in Srinivasnagar, Suratkal, but there has been no discernible progress in the project in the intervening period.
Speedy execution was an operative part of the MHRD’s original proposal, and the idea was to ensure that classes could begin at the third branch of Kendriya Vidyalaya in Dakshina Kannada from the 2019-20 academic year. NITK earmarked five acres on its campus for the school, which was meant to cater to children of central government agencies, and public sector units, in Moodbidri, Belthangady and the adjoining localities.
The first branch of Kendriya Vidyalaya in the district was set up in Panambur, and the school at Yekkur followed later. Taking cognisance of the constantly rise in demand for admission to KVs in the district, far outstripping the capacity that the existing schools could handle, MHRD proposed to establish a third branch on Dakshina Kannada.
There was no delay by the NITK in parting with the five-acre-plot on its campus, which was entrusted to the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghatan. Although the authorities had hoped to start operations at the school with makeshift infrastructure from the 2019-20 academic year, their plans have not come to fruition. Neither the Panambur campus, which boasts a strength of 1,500 students nor the Kendriya Vidyalaya at Yekkur, can admit students at this juncture.
Sources privy to the developments said that there were two operational models for Kendriya Vidyalaya: Under one setup, the Centre funded and managed the school, while the central government would have the reins of management, while the institution’s financial operations would be vested with the ‘host institution’.
However, MHRD was keen on experimenting with a new operational model for the Kendriya Vidyalaya in Suratkal. “Construction of the school, and infrastructure costs will tally up to Rs 7 crore, while annually, the administrators will have to bear a recurring cost of Rs 3 crore. Under the new model, we want the school to become self-sufficient by using the revenue generated through fees. The board of governors of NITK are in agreement with the model,” said the source.
NITK director Karanam Uma Maheshwar Rao confirmed to TOI that the board of governors of the college had given their approval for the establishment of a Kendriya Vidyalaya on the campus. “But for some reason, the school has not been established so far. There are a few niggling issues, which we are trying to sort out with the MHRD,” he said.
However, NITK campus already houses Kannada and English medium schools, affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education.
Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP on Monday met Ramesh Pokhriyal, Union Cabinet Minister of Human Resource Development, urged to provide sufficient grants for setting up the Kendriya Vidyalaya at NIT-K this year itself. He made this request while urging Union Minister to take part in the diamond jubilee celebrations of NIT-K on August 6.