Alappuzha: Political cronyism is widely blamed for backdoor recruitment in government entities and admission to educational institutions in Kerala. A couple of persons with links to Students' Federation of India (SFI) are now under scrutiny for securing job and a post-graduate seat illegally with likely connivance of political masters.
It has come to light SFI leader Nikhil Thomas gained admission to the M.Com course in Milad-E-Sherif Memorial (MSM) College, Kayamkulam, through out-of-the-way political interventions.
Admissions to the 2021-23 post-graduate courses had ended by the third week of January 2022. However, the university Syndicate informed all colleges on January 30 evening that students could be admitted on January 31 also.
Subsequently, Thomas completed the admission procedures on January 31, strengthening the suspicion that the Syndicate had intervened on the SFI leader's behalf.
It was also learnt that Thomas was allotted a seat in the management quota based on the recommendation of a CPM leader. Without naming anyone, MSM College manager PA Hilal Babu confirmed that a political leader had made the recommendation.
Meanwhile, the college's staff council held an emergency online meeting yesterday against the backdrop of the smouldering controversy.
PM Arsho, State Secretary, SFI said the organisation is aware of the scandal. "The SFI has gathered enough information regarding Nikhil Thomas's M.Com admission. More information will be shared with the media in Thiruvananthapuram today," he said.
Shady degree certificate too
Thomas has been facing charges of procuring his B.Com certificate from Kalinga University in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
Thomas, who pursued B.Com from MSM College during 2017-20, had not completed the course. However, he submitted a certificate from Kalinga University, saying he had passed B.Com during the same period. He used this certificate to gain admission to the PG course.
The SFI had ousted Thomas from the organisation's district committee after one of its members complained that the certificate he had produced was fake.
Neither the University of Kerala nor the college has initiated any legal action. The Muslim Students' Federation (MSF) unit in the college has complained to the principal against Thomas. The KSU, meanwhile, complained to the Vice-Chancellor and the Alappuzha District Police Chief.
College has no objections
Mysteriously, the MSM college authorities did not raise any questions over the certificate Jose submitted though he had been a student of the college during the same course period.
Thomas, who won the 2018 college election as the University Union Councillor, later became the Joint Secretary of the University Students' Union.
The college authorities said Jose was admitted to the PG course based on an eligibility certificate from Kerala University. University Registrar Dr KS Anil Kumar said that Thomas's graduation certificates were scrutinised.
Thomas' PG admission with suspect certificate hit the headlines amid an ongoing police probe against a former SFI leader who allegedly submitted fake experience certificate to get placement as a guest faculty at a college.
