Prabhat Patnaik-led committee formed to study UGC's 'Ram Rajya'-heavy learning outcomes
States like Kerala have already seen in the LOCFs an attempt to saffronise higher education.
States like Kerala have already seen in the LOCFs an attempt to saffronise higher education.
States like Kerala have already seen in the LOCFs an attempt to saffronise higher education.
Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) on Tuesday constituted a five-member high-level committee chaired by noted economist Prabhat Patnaik to review the draft Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Frameworks (LOCFs) prepared by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Historian Romila Thapar will be a special invitee to the committee.
The other members are: Prof Rajan Gurukkal (KSHEC vice chairman and co-chair), Dr Vani Kesari (Prof, Cochin University), Dr N J Rao (rtd Prof Indian Institute of Science) and Dr Rajan Varghese (convenor and KSHEC member secretary). The decision to constitute a committee was taken at the KSHEC executive body meeting held on Tuesday.
The LOCFs have been drawn up by the UGC for nine undergraduate subjects: Anthropology, Chemistry, Commerce, Economics, Geography, Home Science, Mathematics, Physical Education and Political Science. The UGC has also sought feedback on the LOCFs from stakeholders.
States like Kerala have already seen in the LOCFs an attempt to saffronise higher education. Major concern is that all these subject-based LOCFs emphasise "integration with Indian Knowledge Systems".
In Mathematics, for instance, there are 'value-added' courses on Aryabhatta, Mahavira, Brahmagupta and also 'Ancient Indian System of Counting and Measuring', and 'Mathematics in Narada Purana'.
In Geography, one of the aims is "Revive and adopt the Indigenous Knowledge system for understanding complexity of spatial variations and contribute towards 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'".
Here is what is said in the Commerce LOCF: "Kautilya’s Arthashastra provides insights into trade regulations, governance, and financial management, which remain relevant today. Additionally, concepts like 'Ram Rajya' (equitable governance) can be explored in the context of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and contemporary environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks."
The Prabhat Patnaik-led Committee has been given the brief to critically analyse the LOCFs and examine whether these were compatible with academic and scientific rigour, ideological neutrality and Kerala's secular and inclusive values.
The Committee will also assess whether the LOCFs will undermine the autonomy of universities in Kerala. The Draft UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2025, have already raised concerns of centralisation as they give the Governor/Chancellor absolute powers to choose vice chancellors.
The Committee will also check if the LOCFs and the UGC's Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes (CCFUP) militated against each other. Both the LOCFs and the CCFUP are for undergraduate programmes.
In short, the Committee will firm up Kerala's official response to the LOCFs.