Caste certificate delay: Govt. likely to extend time for job applications

In response to concerns over delays in issuing caste certificates, the government is considering extending the final dates for job applications, according to Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil. Addressing the Legislative Council, Patil stated that the extension would be examined as part of efforts to simplify the process of obtaining caste certificates.

The suggestion came in response to a question from Congress legislator K. Shivakumar, who raised the issue of fake certificates and drew a parallel with Maharashtra's use of blockchain technology to address the problem. Shivakumar expressed concern over the difficulty in obtaining caste certificates, particularly since 2021, when 2,583 start-ups were registered in Karnataka, with 762 receiving funding totaling ₹175.94 crores.

Additionally, the Elevate Next programme provided up to ₹1 crore in financial assistance to deep-tech start-ups, while ₹4 lakh was allocated to farmers, technicians, artisans, and craftsmen.