Thiruvananthapuram | CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan on Tuesday accused the UDF government of "compromising" social justice in higher education by allowing autonomous colleges to introduce self-financing courses without prior government approval, warning that the move would benefit only financially privileged students.
Addressing a press conference here, he said the decision would put the existence of government and aided colleges at risk and turn Keralam's higher education sector into one accessible only to those who could afford it.
If all courses were brought under the self-financing sector, students from poor families would be denied opportunities to pursue higher studies, he said.
The move would also dash the hopes of those aspiring to become college teachers through the Public Service Commission (PSC), he added.
Govindan said the earlier system of self-financing education under government supervision had ensured social justice and provided guarantees in this regard. The UDF government had completely abandoned that system, he alleged.
Allowing self-financing colleges to start new courses would undermine merit and social justice and open the doors to large-scale corruption, he charged.
Govindan's remarks come amid a political controversy over the Higher Education Department's decision to remove the requirement for prior government approval for autonomous colleges to introduce new self-financing courses and increase seats in existing programmes.
The controversy follows recent criticism by Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, who had opposed the government's move to allow autonomous aided and self-financing colleges to increase seats without prior approval.
He had alleged that the decision would lead to the commercialisation of education and was taken under pressure from private college managements.
Responding to the critics, state Higher Education Minister Roji M John had said that the UDF government would go ahead with its decision to allow autonomous colleges to introduce new courses, asserting that the move was aimed at taking the state's higher education sector to global standards.
In a Facebook post on Monday, John said the government was committed to creating world-class educational opportunities in Keralam so that talented students would not have to leave the state for higher studies.
The minister had also said the government's move was based on a clear policy to modernise higher education and ensure that students could pursue courses suited to changing times and global opportunities within the state.
He had accused the CPI(M) of "double standards", recalling its earlier protests against self-financing education and its opposition to the entry of private and foreign investment in the education sector.
Referring to the ongoing students' agitation at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady, Govindan, during the press conference, also alleged that the state government was implementing the Centre's saffronisation agenda in Keralam. The government's stand on the issue reflected the position desired by the BJP, he said.
He also criticised John for asking the protesting students to apologise. The students had made it clear that they would not apologise, and a strong people's agitation would emerge over the issue, he warned.
Govindan further accused certain media outlets and the state government of "attempting" to undermine the constitutional institution of the PSC.
Keralam PSC was among the most efficient recruitment agencies in the country, conducting examinations effectively and in a flawless manner, he said.
Lakhs of people had secured jobs through the Commission, and there was no instance of a candidate obtaining a PSC appointment through corruption, he claimed.
The government was now attempting to encourage backdoor appointments on a large scale, he alleged.