Kerala university mulling proposal to collaborate with science park project

Kerala University is mulling over a proposal to lease out land from its Karyavattom campus to establish one of the four science parks that have been proposed by the State government.

The government had earmarked ₹1,000 crore to establish a digital science park adjacent to the Digital University, Kerala and three others dedicated to science and technology in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kannur.

With Kerala University being shortlisted as one of the collaborators for the project, the government has proposed setting up a science park on the Karyavattom campus. A delegation led by Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment executive vice president K.P. Sudheer visited the university and held talks with Vice Chancellor V.P. Mahadevan Pillai two weeks ago.

Following the preliminary discussion, the Syndicate is expected to soon consider the request to hand over 10 acres of land to the government on lease for a fixed period.

The university is expected to put forth various demands including having a key role in the governing body of the proposed science park and naming the facility after the institution. It will also seek provisions to make the science park freely accessible to teachers and researchers of the university. It will also seek an income-sharing formula for the collaboration.

Each science park will be set up on a public-private partnership (PPP) mode and special accommodation will be provided at the parks for clients from business, research and educational sectors, the government had stated in the budget.

While the university has maintained the proposed facility would boost research, the Save University Campaign Committee has cautioned against hampering the university’s expansion prospects by leasing out land for the project. It also accused the university of flouting an earlier Senate decision not to provide land on lease. The organisation claimed that the land under the university’s possession has dwindled from 478 acres to 329 acres after plots were transferred for various ventures including the Technopark, Greenfield Stadium, Kerala Highway Research Institute, and Lakshmibai National College for Physical Education.