The Hindu : Redefine Chancellor's powers: Murali

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 31, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Redefine Chancellor's powers: Murali

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DEC. 30. The KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, today said that the powers given to the Chancellor of universities in the State need reconsideration by those framing the proposed unified universities Act.

In his inaugural address at the 24th State conference of the Government College Teachers' Organisation (GCTO) here, he said the Chancellor in the State had decided to overlook the list of nominees to the Agricultural University, submitted by the Government and to nominate persons belonging to a particular party. It would be nice if it can be made clear what the disqualifications of the Government nominees were and what the overriding qualifications of the Governor's nominees were.

The actions being taken by some Vice-Chancellors also need closer inspection. The decision of some Vice-Chancellors to boycott the meeting called by the Education Minister cannot be justified. Recently, when a Vice-Chancellor of the Calicut University retired, there was all round celebration. The Vice-Chancellors too need to be sincere in implementing educational reforms.

"Those who are raising the slogan of `sell-out of education' are ones who supported the auctioning off of Plus Two courses, like toddy shops, in the State by the previous LDF Government. Some are trying to drive the students to the streets and steep colleges in violence. Such tricks will not pass muster. What the Lef intellectuals are trying to do today is to take education back by many centuries," he said.

The Government cannot be expected to start new professional colleges.

At the same time, the managements also should be allowed to have an unfettered say in admissions.

This is why the UDF Government has decided that 50 per cent of admissions made to self-financing professional colleges will be made on the basis of merit.

The setting up of such colleges would give the much-needed opportunity to students in Kerala to continue their education in their home State, the KPCC president said.

The educational conference being held as part of the meeting was later inaugurated by the Education Minister, Nalakath Soopy.

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