State will continue to lead IT sector due to its highly qualified technical human resource, says Minister

Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and IT & BT Priyank Kharge speaking at the fifth convocation of Sharnbasva University in Kalaburagi on Monday. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said here on Monday that Karnataka which is a pioneer in the IT sector will continue to occupy the top spot armed with its highly qualified technical human resource churned out every year by its universities, centres of higher education and engineering colleges of repute.

Speaking at the fifth convocation of Sharnbasva University, Mr. Kharge, who is also the IT and BT Minister, said that the present top position occupied by Karnataka is due to the vision of the education societies that have established engineering colleges of repute over the last few decades. The quality education imparted in these colleges has enabled Karnataka to become the silicon valley of India, he added.

Mr. Kharge said that 42% of the total IT exports of the country is from Karnataka and the total contribution of the State in IT exports is around ₹3.25 lakh crore. The State continues to provide all the necessary help and infrastructure facilities for establishing new IT-based industries, he said and pointed out that there are around 400 companies involved in research and development activities in the IT sector.

To meet the challenges of the future and ever-changing technology, the State government has established a high-power skill advisory committee to frame new policies for making human resource in colleges more employable and technically superior. As many as 10 working groups, including representatives from the industry and academia, have also been formed for signing new policies.

Honorary doctorate

Basava Samiti president Arvind Jatti and educationist Chinamma Diggi were conferred honorary doctorate presented by Sharnbasva University by Chancellor and eighth Peetadhipathi of Sharnbasaveshwar Samsthan Dr Sharnbaswappa Appa.

As many as 26 merit scholars were also awarded their Ph.d certificates. As many as 41 gold medals and cash prizes were given to merit students who secured first ranks in their respective post-graduate and undergraduate courses.

A total number of 1,624 students were eligible for degrees during the convocation.