7,000+ Students Test HIV Positive; Karnataka Mandates HIV Camps in Colleges
According to a report by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), Karnataka has the third-highest number of people living with HIV in the country
Bengaluru: Following a special directive from the State AIDS Prevention Society, Karnataka government has decided to conduct HIV testing and counselling in all colleges across the state. Camps will be made mandatory in all government, aided and private colleges.
According to a report by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), Karnataka has the third-highest number of people living with HIV in the country. The state currently has 260,000 people living with HIV, of whom only 205,000 are receiving treatment. The fact that around 54,000 people are still unaware of their HIV status has become a matter of serious concern.
Data show that the infection is spreading most rapidly among young people aged 18 to 35. The number of HIV-positive individuals in this age group rose sharply from 44,500 in 2023-24 to 66,600 in 2025-26. According to the latest reports, more than 7,000 students aged between 18 and 25 have recently tested positive for HIV.
Against this backdrop, the government has decided to strengthen HIV awareness programmes in higher educational institutions.
