Karnataka is facing a silent health emergency among its young population. More than 7,000 students between 18 and 25 years have tested HIV-positive in recent data, forcing the state government to act fast.
The Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society has directed every government, aided and private college to hold compulsory HIV testing and counselling camps. The tests will remain completely voluntary and confidential — no student can be screened without clear consent.
Official figures paint a worrying picture. Karnataka ranks third in India with nearly 2.6 lakh people living with HIV. Around 2.05 lakh are already on treatment, yet an estimated 54,000 still do not know their status. Among those aged 18 to 35, cases jumped from 44,500 in 2023-24 to almost 66,600 in 2025-26.
By bringing testing into campuses, Karnataka hopes to reach the group where the virus is spreading fastest and protect a generation before the numbers rise further. The college camps will offer free testing, counselling before and after the test, awareness sessions on prevention and safe practices, and direct links to treatment centres. Health authorities say the goal is early detection and reduced stigma, not panic. With timely medicine, HIV is now a manageable lifelong condition.
