Karnataka is one of India’s strongest states in higher education, technical training, medical education, and research. Bengaluru, Mysuru, Manipal, Mangaluru, Dharwad, and Belagavi are particularly important educational centers.
### Notable universities and higher education institutions - **Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru** — one of India’s premier research institutions in science and engineering. - **University of Mysore, Mysuru** — one of the oldest universities in India, central to higher education in southern Karnataka. - **Bangalore University, Bengaluru** — a major public university serving a large number of colleges and programs. - **Karnatak University, Dharwad** — an important university for northern Karnataka. - **National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal** — a leading engineering institution. - **Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal** — a prominent private university with national and international recognition. - **Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi** — a major affiliating technical university. - **Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB)** — one of India’s leading management schools.
### Other significant institutions - **University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru** - **University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad** - **National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru** - **St. John’s Medical College, Bengaluru** - **Kasturba Medical College, Manipal / Mangaluru** - **Mangalore University** - **Kuvempu University** - **Karnataka State Open University**
### School education - Karnataka has a large network of government, aided, and private schools in Kannada, English, Urdu, and other mediums. - Major cities have extensive private and public-school options, while rural schooling quality varies by location. - Pre-university colleges and vocational institutions play an important role in the transition to higher education and employment.
### Libraries and learning infrastructure - Public libraries operate through state and local systems. - University libraries in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Dharwad, and Manipal are significant research resources.
The state’s education system is a major reason for its strong talent pipeline in science, engineering, medicine, law, administration, and the creative fields.