Kerala Law Academy Law College Principal Lekshmi Nair on Sunday said she was ready for an independent probe into the allegations levelled against her and functioning of the college.
At a press conference called to clear the air over the students’ agitation raising various grievances, Ms. Nair said the charges raised by them were baseless.
Asked if any efforts had been made by the college authorities to resolve the strike, Ms. Nair said three rounds of talks had been held with the students, but they were standing firm on their demand for her resignation, which could not be acceded to.
On reported curbs on intermingling of sexes, she said both boys and girls took part in various activities of the college, and charges of excessive disciplining were unfounded. After class hours, students were free to use the library till 8.30 p.m.
She maintained that the process of awarding internal marks was transparent, and granting of attendance for activities such as moot court, seminars, and election campaigning was liberal.
Internal marks were given on the basis of definite parameters such as attendance, test paper, assignment, and seminar by the teachers. The Principal who was the appellate authority could only increase the marks, she said.
Only three students and not 21 as alleged by the protesters would be unable to sit for exams this year on account of insufficient attendance, she said.
About the college hostel being under CCTV surveillance and undue restrictions, she said cameras had been placed only at the entrance, kitchen, store room, dining room, and reception room, but not in bathrooms or washrooms. “All hostel rules are applicable to all,” she said.
Asked if the college was self-financing, aided, or private, she said it was a private institution where only the B.Com. course, started four years ago, was in the self-financing mode. On approval for teachers, she said it was given by the university as per laws in existence when the college started.
On whether the college had documents related to affiliation, she replied in the affirmative and said it was up to the university affiliation committee to examine them during its visit to the college on Monday and Tuesday.
Asked about alleged misuse of land in possession of the college, she said land assigned to the college by the university was being used for the college building, hostel, stadium, and housing for teaching and non-teaching staff.
Regarding property on Punnen Road, she said nearly 36 cents of land had been bought by the academy trust where a research centre used to function. After its demolition, a multi-storey building had come up there to be used for research purposes and part of it for commercial ventures, proceeds from which would be used for college academic activities.
Asked why the college was closed down on the first day of the stir, she maintained that the students had threatened the college authorities with an indefinite agitation. It was a violent one too, she claimed, with college property destroyed by the agitators.
She alleged that only around 200 students of the 1,000-odd students studying there were part of the stir. All student organisations had joined the stir so that their standing among the students did not get affected, she alleged.
The stir was being stoked by a couple of persons who had personal enmity against her and were voicing allegations against her in public fora, Ms. Lekshmi Nair alleged.
Denying that she had been unavailable for talks, she expressed willingness for an amicable settlement to resolve the impasse. She also reiterated that no striking students would be victimised.
