Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 8 Keralam Higher Education Minister Roji M John on Sunday defended the government’s decision to allow autonomous aided and self-financing colleges to start new courses without prior approval, as seeking NOCs were causing considerable administrative delays in starting new programmes.
The minister’s response at a press conference here comes in the wake of the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Pinarayi Vijayan, alleging that the state government’s move to allow autonomous aided and self-financing colleges to increase seats without prior approval would lead to the commercialisation of education.
He has demanded that the government’s decision be withdrawn.
Defending the government move, John said that the process of getting a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the related university and the government for such an institution to start new self-financing courses was a procedure found only in Keralam.
“This led to long administrative delays in starting new courses and programmes that students want and need in accordance with the changing times. So, the government decided that such institutions can get the necessary approval from the affiliated university, but need not wait for government NOC.”
“This will bring a major change to the higher education sector, as not all colleges are given autonomous status. It is given to colleges which show merit in their academic performance. In most of the states, such institutions do not need an NOC from the affiliated university or the government to start a new course,” the minister said.
He said that the need to get an NOC from the university and the government takes away the autonomous status of such institutions.
John said that new generation courses, in accordance with the times and interests of the students, can be started by such institutions, so that youngsters do not move out of the state for higher education.
He also pointed out that many seats are lying vacant in colleges as the courses they desire are not available here.
“So, the government decided to take a decision to encourage autonomous status for colleges,” he said.
He also questioned how there would be any corruption if the colleges were not coming to the government to get NOCs.
The minister also said that where courses are being started with financial backing of the government, then the administration needs to know as its funds are being used.
But if an autonomous college is starting a self-financing course, then the government has no role in it.
“Those opposing such initiatives to bring new courses do not want our children to study here in the state and become successful,” he contended.
Vijayan contended, in a statement, that the decision had been taken under pressure from the managements of private colleges.
The CPI(M) veteran said a September 11 circular issued by the Higher Education Department made prior government approval mandatory for introducing new courses and increasing seats in government, aided and autonomous colleges.
He contended that the government had now relaxed the norms, despite the existing provision ensuring strict scrutiny and regulation at the government level, by “succumbing to the misguided pressures of the managements”.
“The current provision that no government no-objection certificate (NOC) is required for starting unaided courses and increasing seats in autonomous aided and self-financing colleges is shocking,” the former CM said.
He said allowing colleges to increase seats at their discretion, without assessing the necessity and disregarding existing regulatory mechanisms, would pave the way for the commercialisation of education.
“This ill-conceived collusion is taking place despite the assurances given before the Supreme Court that self-financing courses would not be allowed in aided colleges on a large scale,” he contended.
Vijayan questioned whose interests the government was protecting by granting such sweeping concessions immediately after representatives of college managements met the Higher Education Minister.
He alleged that doing away with annual inspections and allowing colleges to inform the government about seat increases only after the admission process was over amounted to “a clear conspiracy to sell seats by taking bribes by subverting the provisions of merit and reservation”.
He claimed that such measures would effectively dismantle government regulation and undermine the educational rights of ordinary people, particularly the poor.
Vijayan demanded that the government order a comprehensive legal inquiry into the alleged dilution of the September 11 circular’s provisions under pressure from private college managements.
(PTI News)
