A writ petition was filed on Wednesday in the Kerala High Court challenging the order issued by the Chancellor asking Mahatma Gandhi University to wind up all its off-campus centres functioning outside the jurisdiction of the university.
The petition was filed by the Off-campus Centre Management Association. According to the petitioner, the Chancellor had issued the order under the guise of implementing High Court directives. The petitioner pointed out that what the High Court judgements prevented was functioning of off-shore campus centres only.
In fact, the Chancellor had not given any such directive to the Calicut University or other universities. The off-campus centres of the Calicut University had been functioning all over the State. Therefore, it was clear that the High Court judgements did not intend to wind up all the off-campus centres of the Mahatma Gandhi University.
Besides, the order was discriminatory as the other universities in the State had been allowed to operate such centres. The action of the Chancellor would affect the students studying in the off-campus centres of the Mahatma Gandhi University. That apart, the order would make a large number of teachers jobless. The association also pointed out that the University Grants Commission had permitted conduct of such centres in the State. Besides, the Syndicate of the university had resolved in May 2 to take all measures to retain the off-campus centres in the State.
Off-campus Centre Management Association plea
Chancellor’s order termed discriminatory
