Bengaluru, 16 May

Dr Sharan Prakash Patil, the Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, announced on Friday that all general transfers within the skill development department will now be conducted through a counselling process to eliminate recommendation-driven transfers.

During a departmental review meeting at Vikasa Soudha, Dr Patil instructed department secretary Ekroop Caur to develop clear guidelines, particularly for the Department of Employment and Training (DET), which has one of the largest staffing bases. "This initiative aims to eradicate the misuse of influence in transfers, allowing employees to secure postings based on merit and personal preference," he stated.

Furthermore, Dr Patil expressed his dissatisfaction with senior officials, citing inefficiency, and issued show-cause notices along with immediate transfers for those found negligent in their roles related to government programmes.

In a related review, he urged training institutions such as the Government Tool Room & Training Centre (GTTC), Karnataka German Technical Training Institute (KGTTI), and entities linked to the National Livelihood Mission (NLM) to actively recruit applicants from Yuvanidhi and job fairs into skill courses, highlighting a significant gap in employable skills. Additionally, he called upon medical colleges to comply with National Medical Council (NMC) standards and to expand BSc courses in allied health sciences