Kasaragod: It is a classic 'I told you so' moment for Save University Campaign Committee (SUCC), a whistleblower organisation fighting to keep higher education in Kerala clean.
On July 11, SUCC put out a statement saying Kannur University modified its eligibility criteria for admission to the MA English programme in affiliated colleges to help a leader of the Students' Federation Of India (SFI) remain in Kasaragod Government College. It also said the student leader did not have the required marks and would be given admission to the PG English programme under the sports quota.
Both turned out to be true as Kasaragod Government College gave admission to the CPM's student wing leader and BCom graduate Immanuel to the MA English programme. Kabaddi and kho kho are his sports.
According to Kannur University's original eligibility criteria, only students who have done BA English or Functional English or any BA or BSc programme where they have studied English as a common course for two years or four semesters, and scored at least 45% marks can apply for the MA English programme.
Candidates who have passed programmes such as Bachelor of Business Management (BBM), Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), and Bachelor of Science (BSc) under the Language Reduced Pattern or LRP are not eligible for the MA English programme. In LRP courses, English is taught only for one year or two semesters.
Kannur University's Curriculum Committee of PG English held a meeting on June 2 and recommended that students who have passed UG programs under Language Reduced Pattern be also considered for the admission to MA English programme in affiliated colleges.
Kannur University vice-chancellor Prof Gopinath Ravindran approved the recommendation without placing it before the Academic Council, which met on June 14.
Two days before the council meeting, Prof Ravindran approved the modified eligibility criteria using the special powers conferred on the vice-chancellor under Section 11 (1) of Chapter III of the Kannur University Act, 1996, according to the university's order dated August 1.
"It reveals that the vice chancellor has acted in excess of his power by not including this matter as an agenda in the academic council meeting held on July 14," said R S Sasikumar, chairman of the Save University Campaign Committee.
The section concerned says in case of emergency, the vice-chancellor may take action as he deems fit, except when the Syndicate or the Academic Council is not in session; and he should report his decision in the next session.
Sasikumar said the VC arranged an online meeting of the Curriculum Committee of PG English; six leaders of Left teachers' organisations attended the meeting. The VC took the initiative based on a request from the SFI leader, he alleged.
Kasaragod Government College does not have an MCom programme. The PG programmes offered by the college are in Economics, Arabic, Kannada, and English. "The SFI wanted Immanuel to continue in the college for organisational work. And English was his easiest option," said an assistant professor of the college on condition of anonymity. For that, the rules had to be bent, a bit.
Since 1960, no university in Kerala allowed students from undergraduate courses under Language Reduced Pattern to join MA English, said Sasikumar, who has approached the Kerala Kerala State Higher Education Council to revert the decision of Kannur University. "The move of Kannur University to change admission criteria for MA English course is an attempt of nepotism and favouritism," he wrote to the higher education council.
Minister for Higher Education R Bindu is the chairperson of the council, and Prof Rajan Gurukkal P M is its vice-chairperson.
The Save University Campaign Committee urged the council to direct the Kannur University VC to revert the decision.
Kasaragod Government College principal in-charge Ananthapadmanabha A L said the college acted only on the directions of the government in administrative matters, and the university in academic affairs.
The teacher quoted above said the faculty members did not have a problem with students from Language Reduced Pattern courses joining PG language courses. "The problem is the university would not have changed its admission rule for the benefit of ordinary students. That's where the autonomy of the institute is eroded," he said.
Vice-chancellor Prof Ravindran did not respond to calls made to his phone.
