Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

Church council questions Govt. stand

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM FEB. 25. The Inter-Church Council for Education has questioned the Government's contentions on the sharing of seats in self-financing professional colleges.

According to information reaching here, the council, which met in the Changanassery Archbishop's house today, asserted that the Government had not held any discussion on the issue so far with it or the Managers Association. It expressed concern at the Government's reported claim that it had reached an understanding on the issue with the managements of the colleges. The council felt that it was ridiculous to say that those who had moved the court against the Government's stand had reached an understanding with the council. It warned that it would apprise the people of the truth through all possible means if the campaign was not stopped.

The council stated that those who were talking about an understanding on 50 per cent of the seats, were now scaling it down to 30 per cent. It showed that their claims were baseless.

The council claimed that the minorities had the right to set up their educational institutions, give admission to their eligible students and appoint teachers. It was on the strength of this right conferred by the Constitution that they started professional colleges with contributions from the common man and hefty loans. The objectives behind it were the imparting of professional education at low cost to their eligible students and for the progress of the State. While the other States encouraged such moves, the Kerala Government was adopting a negative attitude. In Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, only ten per cent of seats and in Karnataka only 20 to 25 per cent were reserved for the Government's nominees.

The Christian institutions gave consideration to students of all communities, particularly the socially and economically backward sections. Others outnumbered Christians in some institutions like Pushpagiri. The Government simply had to accept the argument that eligible students should get admission in their own institutions. The numbers might vary from place to place and year to year. A decision could be taken on the basis of open talks. Instead, the Government should not try to impose control on 50 per cent of the seats.

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