New Delhi: In a tribute to former Prime Minister late Manmohan Singh, Bengaluru City University will be renamed as Dr Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University, said Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday.

Presenting his 16th budget in the Assembly, he said, "To make this a model university in the country, Government Arts College and Government R C College will be made constituent colleges of the university." The CM said a constituent college of Vishweshwaraiah Technological University will be established at Chintamani Taluk in Chikkaballapur district at a cost of Rs 150 crore. At Mysuru University, Prof Nanjundaswamy Research Chair will be started, he added.

According to him, with the help of the World Bank, Rs 2,500 crore will be invested to strengthen the infrastructure in first grade colleges and to set up a Centre of Excellence over the next four years.

He also said 26 women's higher education institutions will be upgraded at a cost of Rs 26 crore. Last year, the chief minister said 31 women's institutions were upgraded.

The CM said steps will be taken to fill the 2,000 vacant teaching posts in government first grade colleges, engineering colleges, and polytechnics. Essential basic infrastructure will be provided at a cost of Rs 275 crore in government engineering colleges, polytechnics and degree colleges, he said.

Newly started polytechnics and engineering colleges will be provided with furniture, equipment, computers and books at a cost of Rs 10 crore, he added.

Under the Chevening Karnataka Master's Scholarship Programme, girl students of government degree colleges of the state will be sent to prestigious universities of England to pursue one-year post graduate programmes, Siddaramaiah said.

He also said professional subject experts will be appointed as professors of practice in 16 government engineering colleges to enhance the employability of students through practical knowledge.

Further, in collaboration with industry partners, internship programmes and special corporate training programmes will be formulated to impart market-based skills training to students of government educational institutions and prepare them for employment, said the chief minister.

The CM also announced that, in association with the Azim Premji Foundation, reorientation training will be given to all teachers in the Department of Collegiate Education over the next three years to improve teaching and learning. Special skill development programme for 23,000 students of degree colleges will also be taken up at a cost of Rs 10 crore by Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB), he said.

Siddaramaiah said Rs 30 crore will be invested to upgrade Unified University College Management System (UUCMS) software implemented for integrated management of higher education institutions.