Bengaluru, Aug 12 (IANS): The admission process for polytechnic diploma in Karnataka, with eight newly-added courses and the revamped C-20 curriculum of the earlier existing courses, was inaugurated here on Thursday.

Inaugurating the process, Karnataka Minister for Higher Education, C.N. Ashwath Narayan, said that these steps are taken with a focus on increasing the employability of students and to align the courses with NSQF (National Skill Qualification Framework) and global standards to suit the current developments and demands.

The eight new diploma programmes offered by the Department of Technical Education in the emerging areas include Alternative Energy Technologies, Cyber Security, Food Processing & Preservation, Travel & Tourism, Cloud Computing & Big Data, Automation & Robotics, Direction, Screenplay Writing and TV production, and Cyber Physical Systems & Security.

The polytechnic colleges offering the new course include Gauribidanur, Shiralakoppa, Kudligi, Rabakavi, Banahatti, Aurad, SJ Polytechnic in Bengaluru, Chennagiri, Koppa, Honnali and Kapu (Udupi), said the minister.

Besides the newly-added programmes, 33 courses exist in polytechnic diploma. Apart from this, in the third year, specialisation pathways will be provided in 12 subjects, Narayan added.

The admission process has also been changed. Now the students can get admission on first-cum-first basis at 61 colleges, out of the total 87 government polytechnics.

Merit-based admission will be done in the remaining 26 colleges.

"The DTE has designed new courses and a new C-20 curriculum after extensive consultations with the industry, academia, alumni and the government. In addition to this, cues from diploma courses in countries like Germany, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore have also been adapted," the minister said.