Bengaluru, Sep 6: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday urged students to study abroad and become job creators, not job seekers.
He was speaking after launching the Skill Development Department’s ‘Study Abroad 2026’ programme here.
The programme, inaugurated at Palace Grounds, offers students opportunities to pursue higher education at foreign universities, with more than 80 universities participating and over 300 subjects on offer.
“Our talented human resources are unmatched by those in any other state in the country. We want our children to learn at the global level. We desire that they should not merely become employees, but become employers,” Shivakumar said.
He said the government had opened a new avenue for overseas education and stressed that investment in knowledge was the best asset.
“Human beings have limitations, but knowledge has no boundaries. Access to global-level education makes people mentally stronger,” he said.
Shivakumar said 3,145 students had been selected to study at foreign universities following an agreement with the University of Queensland.
He said scholarships were being offered by various government departments, while banks were providing education loans of up to Rs 2 crore.
“More than 80 universities are participating in this programme, offering opportunities to study more than 300 subjects,” he said.
The CM highlighted Bengaluru’s large pool of skilled professionals, saying the city had 2.6 million IT professionals, compared with 1.6 million in Silicon Valley. Karnataka, he said, produced more than one lakh engineers and 13,940 doctors annually.
Referring to leaders including Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar, Shivakumar said studying abroad had helped them acquire knowledge that they later used to contribute to the country.
“Your future is the future of the state, and your strength is the strength of the country. Students are our assets. The entire world is watching us. India is being viewed through Bengaluru and Karnataka,” he said.
He urged students not to forget their roots, parents and teachers.
“You should not forget your roots. If you forget them, you will not achieve success. Therefore, you should not forget your parents and teachers,” he said.
Shivakumar also said the government had decided to allow teachers to use the prefix ‘Tr’ before their names as a mark of respect.
“Our government has decided to add ‘Tr’ (Teacher) before teachers’ names to honour them. I have received hundreds of calls welcoming the decision. We regard teachers as gods and have taken steps to recognise and respect their contribution,” he said.
He described Karnataka as the country’s knowledge centre, noting that Bengaluru is home to 38 of the 140 international schools in India.
“Karnataka has become the knowledge centre of the country. I wish all of you success,” he said.
