Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Karnataka Today newsletter: Medical students jittery about NExT exam system

National Medical Commission (NMC) introduced National Exit Test (NExT) to achieve uniformity in the summative evaluation across India with reference to the minimum common standards of education and training of a medical graduate. This will be a uniform licentiate exam (for graduates from foreign medical universities), and an entrance exam for PG medical courses. But, students and parents oppose implementation of NExT from this year citing complete change in the system mid-way through the course.

In the aftermath of the murder of a Jain monk in Belagavi district, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara travelled to Varur, on the outskirts of Hubballi, on July 10 to convince Jain seer Sri Gunadhar Nandi maharaj to drop his plan of fasting unto death demanding justice for the deceased.

Home Minister G. Parameshwara said, “The accused have been arrested.”

Following the assurance, Sri Gunadhar Nandi maharaj decided to drop the plan to fast unto death.

Sri Gunadhar Nandi maharaj of Varur told mediapersons that, being a follower of non-violence, he would pardon the culprits who murdered a Jain monk in Belagavi district. Besides that, the seer said that he would apologise to those whom he had hurt by his emotional outburst in the aftermath of the murder.