Bengaluru, July 31 -- The Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) has strongly refuted viral social media claims and media reports alleging that HIV testing has been made mandatory for college students across the state.

The institute also categorically denied rumours suggesting that 7,000 students in Karnataka have recently tested positive for HIV, calling the reports "baseless".

Issuing a video message, Padma Basavanthappa, Project Director of the AIDS Prevention Society, Karnataka, clarified that mandatory testing is prohibited by law and highlighted the government's focus on voluntary risk assessment through digital platforms.

"Wrong messages regarding mandatory testing of HIV are being spread around in the social media, in ...