The University of Kerala will constitute a varsity-level advisory committee comprising former Vice Chancellors and Pro Vice Chancellors to plan academic reforms. The panel will also include retired statutory officers and professors.
The proposal for constituting the body finds mention in the annual budget of the university that was presented by K.H. Babujan, convener of the finance committee in the interim body, which currently exercised the responsibilities of the Syndicate and Senate. ₹2.79-crore deficit budget estimated a total revenue of ₹470.01 crore and expenditure of ₹472.80 crore.
Scholar in Residence
Addressing media persons, Mr. Babujan said the budget focussed on improving the quality of education and enhancing research infrastructure. An allocation of ₹40 lakh was also made for the ‘Scholar in Residence’ programme, formulated on the lines of the Adjunct Faculty system of the University Grants Commission (UGC), which envisaged roping in the services of prominent scholars, retired professors, and experts in socio-cultural and industrial avenues for various study departments of the university.
As part of steps to expedite examination-related activities, permanent valuation camps will be established at the district centres, which came within the university’s jurisdiction. Such facilities will be developed in Kollam, Pandalam, Alappuzha, and at the university headquarters at Palayam. An amount of ₹25 lakh has been set aside for the initiative. Besides, a centralised data-processing unit will be established at the examination wing at a cost of ₹10 lakh to streamline various activities, including tabulation and uploading of marks.
New centres and courses will be launched for undertaking research in Artificial Intelligence, Tourism Studies, Latin American Studies, West Asian Studies, Rural Studies, Biodiversity Conservation, and Applied Statistics and Data Analytics.
A repository named ‘Tagore Niketan’ will come up at the University Library where the works of Rabindranath Tagore will be on display, along with illustrations retracing his 1922 visit to Kerala. The university has also decided to name its students’ amenity centre after former President K.R. Narayanan and the School of Language building, which will house the study departments of various languages, as the ‘O.N.V. Memorial School of Indian Language Building’.
The budget also envisaged a ‘student protection scheme’ for all students of study departments and affiliated colleges at an annual premium of ₹100.
