None of the universities in Kerala rank among the first 20 best institutions of higher learning in India. The situation is the same ever since the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) started grading the universities in 2016. The University of Kerala, at the 27th slot, is the comparatively better placed among the 6,000-odd educational institutions that competed in the ranking process nationwide.
While 19 educational institutions from the neighbouring Tamil Nadu state were included in the first 100 ranks, only four — University of Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi University, University of Calicut and Cochin University of Science and Technology — from Kerala found slots in the top 100.
The ranking is based on several factors, such as the research excellence of teachers, students' educational standard and extra-curricular activities.
CM's claim exposed
Incidentally, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been saying that initiatives have been made to improve the standard of universities in the state. But the experience of Dr Kuncheria P Issac, the Founder Vice-Chancellor, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, indicates the CM's claim is hollow.
"The State government, and teachers and students' organisations owing allegiance to the ruling front were not interested in initiatives made to lead the university to excellence. They held protests and took out rallies, and spread canards to make me inactive. I, being a common man, could not face it. I resigned in 2017, eight months prior to the end of my tenure," Dr Kuncheria said.
"The government frequently interferes in the university's autonomy. They make the interference possible by posting their acolytes in the university's administrative mechanism, or by amending the statutes. They did not even show the basic courtesy of consulting the VC before appointing the Academic Dean and Research Dean. When a specific credit was made mandatory for promotion to the next class, students' organisations were spurred into holding protests, and sabotaged the move," he explained.
Former Minister K T Jaleel used to continuously interfere in the functioning of the Mahtama Gandhi University, claimed M R Unni, its former registrar.
"I fell out of favour with him after I opposed the interference. Either the minister or his messengers used to call for various reasons. The university made a movie against drug abuse based on the instruction of the then Minister C Raveendranath. After becoming the minister, Jaleel refused approval for the movie. Though it was released, Jaleel stalled further actions on it," he added.
Kannur University: The university was not among the first 200 ranks between 2018 and 2021. The shortage of patents and the lesser number of articles published in international journals have been hampering the varsities' bid for a decent ranking. Drawbacks in social activities, protection of environment, and waste disposal, too, were acting against the university.
Kalamandalam: The varsity's application to consider it for ranking is under consideration. It is expected to be completed within a year.
Kerala Agricultural University: The university is not included in the NIRF, since it is being considered in the ranking done by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR). The varsity, which stood first in ICAR ranking 10 years ago, has slid to the 28th slot. It was ranked 19 last year.
Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS): KUHS cannot apply for ranking since it does not have a college or teaching staff. Though it has Medical Colleges under it, they do not belong to the KUHS. The demand for bringing the Medical College at Thrissur under KUHS was made to include the university in the ranking system. The institution will get UGC aid only if it is included in the list of institutions that have applied for ranking.
APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University: The varsity is also facing the same problems as of KUHS. Discussions are on to commence teaching.
Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit: University has been ranked between 150 and 200 all these years. Institutions in this band are not allotted specific ranks.
Chancellor's role
Do universities stand to gain by merely changing the Chancellor? Frustrated by political interference, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan recently offered to relinquish the office of the Chancellor of the Universities and urged the Chief Minister to take up that role too.
The Chancellor post, currently being held by the Governor, could be handed over to any eligible person if the government decides for it and get the decision endorses by the Legislative Assembly. It could also be implemented through the promulgation of an ordinance.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) does not have a say on who should be the Chancellor. If the government decides to take away the responsibilities of the Chancellor from the Governor, the politicisation of universities will be complete.
According to the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, the UGC has the rights to frame rules. If any university's rules are in contradiction with the UGC-set rules, the latter will be effective. The Advocate General has made this aspect clear. Breaching UGC rules may cost universities their recognition.
The higher education sector is a pointer to the State's future. Notwithstanding the political interference and rhetoric, people are expecting a wise and logical decision from the government.
A visit ahead of Governor's letter
During the recent row Governor, at least, flagged how universities in Kerala have become political fiefdoms. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan wrote a hard-hitting letter to the Chief Minister, condemning the 'political interferences' in universities.
In fact a vice-chancellor of a university in Kerala had visited the Governor's official residence Raj Bhavan and reportedly detailed to the Governor the major common issues the universities have been facing in the State. The Governor had mentioned in detail these issues in his letter to the Chief Minister.
Those owing allegiance to the CPM informed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and party State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan about the vice-chancellor's meeting with the Governor.
Since the Governor's letter has created a controversy and put the government in the dock, the government has decided to examine the circumstances that forced the vice-chancellor to visit the Raj Bhavan.
Cosmetic change for syllabus
The recent syllabus revision undertaken by the University of Calicut is reflective of the State universities and their leaderships' response to instructions for improving the standard of the institutions.
The Calicut varsity had a lackadaisical approach to the UGC's instructions for a revision of the syllabi in tune with the times. The UGC intended a total revamp to make an out-come-based syllabus, taking into consideration the possible employability of students in the changing times.
The UGC's instructions could be implemented by holding workshops and discussions that would have led to a well-thought out and informed revision of the syllabi. Instead, the Calicut Varsity implemented it with lightning speed.
The revision, as made by the university, will make jaws drop. Boards of Studies met and made a decision that the syllabi existing since 2020 have been recognised as outcome-based one. The university could not now be blamed for lacking in outcome-based syllabi. It has one. But, has the syllabi changed? No!
The Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit at Kaladi signed an agreement with C-DIT for the digitisation of exams in 2011. The university still cannot issue error-free marklists to students.
According to the 2011 agreement, the C-DIT was to provide the necessary software to the university at a cost of Rs 21 lakh. C-DIT demanded another Rs 2.5 lakh in 2016 to upgrade the software and fix the glitches. The university did not agree, but appointed 10 employees to its IT department. Though about Rs 4 lakh has been spent to pay the salaries of the new appointees, the issues with the software still persist.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Technical University's biggest burden is the teachers who fail in evaluating answer sheets on time. Recently, a Government College teacher from Thrissur took the answer sheets home and left them there. Later, officials from the university had to visit his residence to collect the answer sheets and assign another teacher to evaluate them.
The delay in evaluating answer sheets leads to the university withholding the result of students. Complaints regarding irregularities in the conduct of exams are also common in the university.
This article is the fourth and concluding part of a series on administration of universities in Kerala. Read other parts here.
Part 1: Kerala varsities venue of political games, these instances are just the tip of the iceberg
Part 2: Recruitment norms thrown to the wind as Kerala universities accommodate CPM acolytes
Part 3: Academic excellence, seniority take a back seat as politics reigns supreme in Kerala universities
Prepared by: Renji Kuriakose, Unni K Warrier, Jayachandran Elankath, K Jayaprakash Babu, R Krishnaraj, Arun Ezhuthachan, M R Harikumar and Sajesh Karanattukara
Compiled by: Nidhish Chandran.
