Pinarayi Vijayan Demands Withdrawal of Keralam College Seat Circular

Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of Opposition in the Keralam Assembly and a CPI(M) leader, on Sunday, 8 November demanded that the state government withdraw a decision allowing colleges to start courses and raise seats without prior government approval. He said the change would lead to the commercialisation of higher education. Higher Education Minister Roji M John defended the move the same day, according to PTI.

Seats, Merit and Reservation in Question

Vijayan called the removal of the no-objection certificate “shocking” and alleged that the government had yielded to pressure from private college managements. He described it as “a clear conspiracy to sell seats by taking bribes by subverting the provisions of merit and reservation.” Those are his allegations; the government has not accepted them.

He also objected to letting colleges report seat increases after admissions are over and to doing away with annual inspections, saying both weaken oversight. He said the decision followed a meeting between college management representatives and the minister, and asked for a comprehensive legal inquiry into the alleged dilution of an earlier circular.

Also read Kerala GNA Power Deal: Vijayan Alleges Artificial Crisis, Rs 727 Crore Loss

Minister Cites Delays and Vacant Seats

Roji M John said the requirement of NOCs from both the university and the government delays new courses and is a procedure found only in Keralam. He argued that it undermines the autonomous status of such institutions, that many seats stay vacant because students cannot find the courses they want in the state, and that new courses would help students stay in Keralam. He rejected the corruption charge, asking how corruption could arise if colleges no longer need to seek NOCs, and said the government keeps a role only where it funds a course.

A September Circular Since Relaxed

A Higher Education Department circular dated 11 September had made prior government approval mandatory for new courses and seat increases in government, aided and autonomous colleges. The government has since relaxed this: autonomous aided and self-financing colleges can now start courses and raise seats without a government NOC, though they still need approval from their affiliated university.

No review date or further government action has been announced, and the minister has not signalled any change. Whether Vijayan’s party takes the demand to the Assembly or the courts has not been stated. More Kerala politics reports are under the Kerala tag on IPB News.

Source: Based on reporting by ThePrint (PTI), DT Next and The Federal.

Image: Wikimedia Commons.