The Opposition walked out of the Assembly on Thursday accusing Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel of undermining the autonomy of Universities to award extra marks to preferred students and post his favourites in critical positions.
Congress legislator V.D. Satheeshan, who sought an adjournment of the House to discuss the matter, said Mr. Jaleel had used his private secretary as a proxy to influence the decision-making process of the MG University repeatedly.
The Minister had created a “parallel evaluation committee” to illegally award extra marks to an engineering student who had failed in an important paper.
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Mr Jaleel’s private secretary had officiated for the Minister at an “adalat” conducted by the varsity to redress the grievances of students.
The Minister had overruled the University and awarded National Service Scheme related grace marks to an ineligible student to help him gain a degree.
Mr Satheeshan said the vice-chairman of the higher education council, Rajan Gurukkal, had said that the Minister had overstepped his constitutional bounds by interfering in varsity affairs.
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He alleged that the Minister reduced the term of examination controllers and posted his nominees in posts vacated by them.
Mr Jaleel altered the academic calendar unilaterally and allowed persons of dubious educational qualification to guide research.
Mr Jaleel replied that the Opposition was targeting him at the behest of the IUML, a party he had left for the LDF. He had followed due procedure and never infringed on the autonomy of varsities. Mr Jaleel said his bid to streamline varsity function and save students from red tape had met with stiff resistance from a section of the teaching community. They were also peeved that the Government had decided not to process the salary of teachers who bunked evaluation camps. The Government had also decided to penalise teachers who valued examination papers without applying their minds.
Mr Jaleel challenged the Opposition to prove their charges in court. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala demanded his resignation.