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Karnataka to set up India's first government AI university

Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday announced the establishment of India's first government-driven Artificial Intelligence (AI) University, reaffirming the state's ambition to emerge as a global hub for responsible AI innovation.

Speaking at the inauguration of Google I/O Connect India 2026 in Bengaluru, Shivakumar also announced the creation of an AI Hub to serve as an incubation centre for AI research and development by startups, companies and academic institutions. The proposed university will focus on developing world-class AI talent, promoting cutting-edge research and strengthening collaboration among academia, industry and government. Describing AI as the defining technological revolution of the present era, the Chief Minister said Karnataka aims to become an AI-native state, where artificial intelligence improves governance, education, healthcare, agriculture and public services.

He highlighted Karnataka's strong technology ecosystem, noting that the state contributes nearly 40 per cent of India's software exports and that Bengaluru is home to over 17,000 startups and numerous Global Capability Centres. Inviting Google to deepen its partnership with Karnataka, Shivakumar called for collaboration in developing AI solutions for education, healthcare, agriculture, climate resilience and governance. He reaffirmed the state's commitment to expanding digital infrastructure, including data centres, to support AI innovation and next-generation digital services.

Rajasthan loses over 8 lakh students in two years

Rajasthan has recorded a decline of over eight lakh school students in the past two academic years, with government schools losing more than 9.3 lakh enrolments, according to the latest UDISE+ 2025-26 data.

Total enrolment dropped from 1.67 crore in 2023-24 to 1.59 crore in 2025-26, despite the number of teachers increasing.

Education experts attributed the trend to falling fertility rates, migration and changing parental aspirations. They said the sharper decline in government schools reflects growing demand for better learning outcomes, safety and accountability, and urged policymakers to prioritise quality education, employability and public confidence over enrolment figures alone.