The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : KSU activists gherao Panikkar

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Thursday, Apr 17, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

KSU activists gherao Panikkar

Staff Reporter

K.N. Pannikar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Higher Education Council will hold discussions with students’ organisations on April 22 on issues relating to the introduction of grading system and semester system for undergraduate courses.

This decision was taken on Wednesday following an assurance given to activists of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) by Vice-Chairman of the council K.N. Panikkar. The activists barged into the venue of a workshop organised by the council on Wednesday to discuss the draft recommendations on grading and semester system.

Shortly after the workshop began, the KSU activists rushed into the hall shouting slogans. They then gheraoed Dr. Panikkar and member secretary of the council Thomas Joseph. The KSU leaders told Dr. Panikkar that all decisions of the council were being taken by a ‘clique’ and that there was no democratic debates on any issue. When Dr. Panikkar told the activists that the council had held discussions with students’ organisations, they retorted that the KSU had not been invited for any such discussion.

Mr. Joseph told the activists that the council was not averse to holding further discussions with them. To this, the KSU leaders replied that they were not interested in holding discussions after the council had made up its mind on implementing grading and semester system.

The activists left the hall only after the Vice-Chairman and the member secretary promised to call students’ organisations for discussions. Mr. Joseph, later, said that the council would decide on its draft recommendations only after talks with students organisations.

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