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The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Objecting to Registrar's presence, Kerala University V-C boycotts university union inaugural
The inaugural function of the Kerala University Union 2024-25 on Monday reflected the deepening rift within the university over administrative control, as Vice-Chancellor in-charge Mohanan Kunnummal boycotted the programme after objecting to Registrar K.S. Anil Kumar's presence in the event. The Vice-Chancellor has maintained that the revocation of Dr. Kumar's suspension is legally void. Notably, Director (Planning and Development) Mini Dejo Kappen, who had been assigned additional charge of the Registrar by the Vice-Chancellor, was excluded from the ceremony. The office-bearers of the union, dominated by the Students Federation of India, asserted that they recognised Dr. Kumar as the Registrar. They added that the Vice-Chancellor had consented to take part in the programme. Noted writer T.D. Ramakrishnan, who inaugurated the function, alleged that vested interests were influencing appointments in the education sector and that continuous interference has been adversely impacting academic activities. Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi vice-chairperson P.R. Pushpavathy was the chief guest. Speaking on the occasion, she reiterated her criticism of filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan's controversial remarks made at the recent Kerala Film Policy Conclave. Union chairman Ashwin S. Nair presided over the programme. Syndicate members G. Muralidharan, J.S. Shijukhan, R. Rajesh and S. Nazeeb were among those who spoke.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
MSF turning communal, alleges SFI
Students Federation of India (SFI) State secretary P.S. Sanjeev has accused the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) of being unable to respond to political allegations and adopting a communal stance. Mr. Sanjeev said the MSF had become the mouthpiece of the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Campus Front. He accused the organisation of attempting to divide students on a communal basis. He asserted that the MSF had no authority to undermine the Muslim community and said that efforts to silence the activities of the SFI would not succeed. He also accused the MSF of spreading fear among Muslim students.
The Hindu
01-08-2025
- General
- The Hindu
CUET and centralised online admissions delay college access, leave thousands of seats vacant across India
For years, State governments and central universities have been conducting online admissions and counseling for professional courses such as Engineering, Medicine and Law. However, this process was not present for degree programs in Arts, Science, Social Sciences, Commerce, Management, Computer Applications, and similar fields, which traditionally followed an open admission system, individual university/college-level assessments or merit based cut-offs. To centralise admissions for central universities, moving away from their individual assessments based on traditional cutoffs or merit, the National Testing Agency (NTA) was assigned the task of conducting the Central University Entrance Test (CUET) for undergraduate (UG) programs. CUET was first introduced in the academic year 2022–23, and since then, admissions to central universities have been based on CUET scores. Apart from central universities, several States, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, have introduced their own centralised online admission portals for public institutions. While these measures were intended to streamline admissions and improve the track, they have inadvertently created new barriers particularly for students from non-metropolitan areas, and further delays in admissions through delays. The experience of students in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh. Delhi shed light on this. Toll on students, setback for government colleges in Andhra Pradesh 'It is a nightmare to sit idle at home and watch my friends join college and make new friends,' says Krishna Chaitanya (name changed), an eighteen-year-old student from Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, who has been waiting for his degree admission for the past three months. Chaitanya secured 45 percent in his intermediate exams, the results of which were announced in April, but his admission to a computer science stream in a private college was denied as they no longer admit students with less than 50 percent marks. The student is thus left with the option to apply through the Online Admission Module for Degree Colleges (OAMDC), an online application initiative started by the Andhra Pradesh government to conduct admissions for Government, Aided, Private Unaided, and Autonomous Degree Colleges in Andhra Pradesh from the academic year 2020–21. However, for this academic year, although the Andhra Pradesh government has issued the Government Order (45) for admissions, it has not mentioned any dates, and is yet to open the OAMDC application process to invite students to apply to both. It's already July end, and the first semester exams are generally held by December/January. Even if the Andhra Pradesh government issues notice for first phase admission, it will take at least a month to complete the admission process. So, the colleges will have only two-three months to complete the syllabus. It is ultimately the students who pay the price, says Students Federation of India (SFI) State secretary K. Prasanna Kumar. While private colleges contest the government's decision to include them alongside government institutions in the online admission process, viewing it as a check on their autonomy, government college professors argue that although the system has helped curb some exploitation by private colleges, the online admission process would have been more beneficial for government colleges if there was sufficient demand for degree courses. Out of an estimated 4,00,000 available seats, only 1,68,000 were filled in the 2024–2025 academic year, according to an official in the education department. 'Introducing an online admission system for government colleges makes little sense when seats remain vacant due to low application numbers,' said the principal of a government degree college, who added that his institution saw only 20 admissions out of 120 sanctioned seats. In Andhra Pradesh, there are no dedicated centres to facilitate the admission process. Students, especially those from rural backgrounds who may lack awareness of how to apply, or access to digital infrastructure like smartphones or laptops, end up relying on private colleges. These private institutions often submit applications on behalf of students, prioritising their own campuses by promoting better infrastructure and promises of campus placements. In the latest guidelines, the government has just authorised colleges to collect and submit applications under the OAMDC (Online Admissions Module for Degree Colleges). This would be advantageous for the private colleges, as many government colleges lack the human resources to assist students through this process, according to a representative of the Andhra Pradesh Junior and Degree Colleges Association, who wished to remain anonymous. Technicality, glitches mar admissions in West Bengal A second-year undergraduate student from a government college in West Bengal shared that he had to travel around 10 km to apply through the Centralised Admission Portal for undergraduate courses. Despite his efforts, he encountered technical glitches on the portal, and the toll-free number provided for assistance was non-functional. He added that it is especially difficult for his other friends from non-metropolitan areas who either don't own mobile phones or, even if they do, struggle to upload documents, digital signatures, and certificates due to limited digital literacy or poor device performance. The student said that although the government advises students to seek help from Bangla Sahayata Kendras (government service centres) if needed, these centres are either inaccessible or already overwhelmed with other services such as Aadhaar updates, caste certificates, municipal tax payments, and so on. Arko Sen, a second-year Master's student in English at Jadavpur University and a member of the SFI, was part of a help desk initiative that assisted students applying to Jadavpur University and other institutions. He observed that many individual college websites were unreliable and often non-functional, offering little or no additional information. 'Some colleges display the fee structure online and allow payment through the portal, but during physical verification, students are asked to pay additional amounts,' he alleged. 'I wouldn't say a large number, but a section of students are either dropping out or moving away from government colleges to other universities and institutions,' he added. In West Bengal, the State Council of Higher Education introduced a Centralised Admission Portal starting from the 2024–2025 academic session. Admission to undergraduate courses in 17 universities and 460 government and government-aided affiliated colleges and higher education institutions is now conducted through this portal. However, self-financing/private colleges, autonomous colleges, minority institutions, and colleges offering courses in Fine Arts, Performing Arts, Crafts, Dance, and Music are excluded from this centralised system. For the current academic year, the first phase of the admission process, launched on June 17, has seen multiple deadline extensions, the latest being July 30, largely due to a legal dispute involving the OBC list. The Hindu had earlier reported that 3.2 lakh students have registered on the portal so far, out of some 9 lakh available seats. While there are several reasons behind the large number of vacancies, the situation would likely have remained the same even under an offline system, said Professor Rajeshwar Sinha of Jadavpur University. He explained that the primary reason is the limited employment opportunities in the state for students graduating in these disciplines. 'This pushes students toward professional courses or encourages them to seek admission in more reputed universities or private institutions.' 'Instead of focusing solely on online admissions,' he added, 'efforts should be directed toward creating job opportunities in various government sectors that depend on these academic streams. That is the only way to improve the gross enrolment ratio in colleges. Otherwise, we will continue to see students dropping out.' CUET disrupts academic calendar In States like Delhi, admissions to colleges under Delhi University (DU) are being considered on CUET scores. Since 2022, DU has admitted students solely based on these scores, having done away with the traditional cut-off system. The university is offering 71,624 undergraduate seats across 69 colleges and departments for this academic session. Around 93,166 seat allocations have been made against these 71,624 seats across 79 undergraduate programs in the 69 affiliated colleges. The higher number of allocations is based on past admission trends, which show that candidates often change colleges and courses during subsequent allocation rounds . As per an official from the admissions office, a total of 87,335 allocations have been made in the first two rounds of admissions so far. However, ever since CUET-based admission has been considered for the DU, about 15,000 seats have gone unfilled over the past three years, says Abha Dev Habib, Associate Professor at Miranda House, DU, and Secretary of the Democratic Teachers' Front. In 2022, about 5,000 seats went unfilled, the number rose to 7,000 in 2023, and in 2024, nearly 3,000 seats remained vacant despite multiple efforts to fill them, she added. Sohan Kumar Yadav, a student of Delhi University and a member of the SFI, shared that the CUET-UG process is complex and, by its nature, excludes students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. The application fee itself is a barrier, students must pay a minimum of ₹800 to ₹1,000 to choose three subjects, and ₹350 to ₹400 for each additional subject. Students are allowed to choose up to five subjects from the 37 options available. Additionally, the registration fee for DU colleges is ₹250 to ₹100. 'Traditionally, Humanities and Social Sciences have served students from diverse economic backgrounds, those who could not afford professional courses or came from other States with a strong interest in these fields,' he said. 'But now, students feel pressured to take CUET coaching classes, which are based on the NCERT-CBSE syllabus and consist of objective questions. This disadvantages students from state board backgrounds and places an extra burden on those from rural, suburban, and economically weaker sections. Ultimately, only those who can afford coaching are able to secure seats.' Speaking about the vacant seats, Ms. Habib noted that delays have consistently plagued the CUET-UG process, disrupting university academic calendars and contributing to rising vacancies, even in highly sought-after central universities. 'Earlier, we never heard of vacant seats in some of the best colleges,' she said. 'Just imagine, at St. Stephen's College, one-third of the seats in the Physics department are lying vacant. In Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, another campus college, Physics seats are going unfilled.' Ms. Habib further explained, 'If admissions are only through CUET, the local population is often not applying. And students from outside don't always view these colleges as attractive enough to pursue admission, especially when faced with constant delays. If results are declared late and the admission cycle overlaps with NEET or JEE, science students face a real crisis. The pressure from families to opt for a NEET or JEE instead becomes overwhelming.' 'In earlier years, students would take admission by the end of July. They would start attending college, make friends, and could convince their families to let them pursue a passion, like Physics or Chemistry honours. But now, with delays in results and admissions, students don't get to visit the college or experience campus life. This disconnect makes it harder for them to make a case for continuing in these fields,' she added.
The Hindu
21-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
V.S. Achuthanandan, a leader of the masses with no parallels
When I first saw him, comrade VS was addressing a mammoth party rally at Fort Maidan, Palakkad. In his own characteristic style of mixing unusually long and short sentences and gestures using his whole body, he was elaborating on the suffering of local pepper cultivators due to the price crash as a consequence of GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade). Since then, I have had many opportunities to watch him from a distance and later in a more direct manner. Like his speech, the perfect fit white jubba was also his trademark. My first interaction with VS was in 2000. As the State secretary of the Students Federation of India, I was in the midst of an indefinite hunger strike at the gates of SN College, Kollam. VS visited me, enquired about my health, and fondly advised me to take care. He was the convener of the ruling Left Democratic Front and we often had to discuss issues related to education with him. Some of his great qualities that I have observed are his patient listening and sharpness in quickly identifying issues and offering solutions. In the 2001 Assembly elections, comrade VS' candidature was announced from Malampuzha, Palakkad. His opponent was the then Kerala Students Union president Satheesan Pacheni. VS summoned me to our party headquarters and instructed me to concentrate on Malampuzha. His rationale was that as the opponent was a student leader, I should be present in his constituency to mobilise the youth and students for electioneering. It proved to be a unique opportunity for me to work closely with him, who subsequently became the Leader of the Opposition. Later, on one of his visits to Palakkad, I was assigned by the party to accompany him. He had a habit of having an early dinner, which the organisers, the Indian Medical Association, had arranged in a restaurant. I had never used forks before, and was trapped in a dilemma about the related etiquette. When I saw VS push aside his cutlery and start eating with his hands, I was relieved and delighted to follow suit. During his tenure as the Leader of the Opposition, his image of an 'apparatchik' created by the media was transformed to that of a popular communist leader with mass appeal. It is very uncommon for a leader to undergo a transformation like this in their late seventies, and it was a testament to his amazing ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Comrade VS was moulded as a leader in the second half of the 20th century, when television was not at all a factor. Despite this, he quickly adapted to the complexities of the televised era with an enviable ease. He had a great sense of humour. Once I introduced one of our SFI colleagues who was sent to Delhi to work at the national level, VS asked him if he knew Hindi, and when he answered that he did, VS replied in his characteristic demeanour 'so when someone speaks to you, you can understand the language is Hindi, right?' We all burst out laughing. When I was a Member of Parliament, VS was Chief Minister and he used to take me to meet with Union Ministers. One such memorable meeting was with the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Senior leaders like Pranab Mukherjee had great respect and consideration towards comrade VS. By then, I had come to notice how he was a surprising personality for leaders and journalists in Delhi for his vigour, energy, dedication, and steadfastness. His strict adherence to his diet and exercise, even in his 90s, was a valuable life lesson for youngsters like us. Comrade VS was a great communist and a leader of the masses who could strike an emotional bond with the common people. His unparalleled revolutionary life spanning over a century has come to an end. Red salute comrade VS. (The writer is Excise Minister and State committee member of the CPI(M))
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Kerala University V-C bars Registrar from entering campus
The interim Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University, Ciza Thomas, issued a formal notice prohibiting Registrar K.S. Anil Kumar from entering the university campus. The communication was issued on her last day in office as the Vice-Chancellor of the university on Tuesday. She officiated in the position in the absence of Vice-Chancellor in-charge Mohanan Kunnumal, who rejoined duty on Wednesday after a brief visit to Russia. The notice apparently cites a Kerala High Court observation which stated that the legality of the Syndicate's decision to reinstate Dr. Kumar after suspension can be examined by appropriate authorities. The Vice-Chancellor also warned that any unauthorised entry would attract disciplinary action. The Syndicate had recently decided to revoke the Registrar's suspension, despite Dr. Thomas adjourning the meeting. The confrontation has led to an administrative deadlock, with the Vice-Chancellor assigning the responsibilities of the Registrar to Director (Planning and Development) Mini Dejo Kappen. However, the absence of a formal order prevented her from assuming the position. Following the Vice-Chancellor's notice, the Registrar submitted a leave request to Dr. Kunnummal, citing health issues. However, the Vice-Chancellor is learnt to have rejected the leave application, stating that a suspended officer's request for leave holds no relevance. The Vice-Chancellor has submitted a complaint to the State Police Chief, seeking action against Students Federation of India (SFI) activists responsible for violence and vandalism during their demonstration a day ago. It is alleged that the protest resulted in considerable damage to university property and disrupted administrative operations. The University engineering wing has been instructed to assess the damage caused during the agitation. The Cantonment police registered a case against 27 Students Federation of India (SFI) workers and 1,000 other identifiable persons in connection with the demonstration. SFI State secretary P.S. Sanjeev is the prime accused in the case. The activists, who were forcibly removed and arrested by the police, have been booked under non-bailable provisions, including those of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Kerala Police Act. Among these are provisions relating to the offence of assault or criminal force used to deter a public servant from performing their duty, criminal trespass, unlawful assembly, rioting, and causing damage to public property. As many as seven police officers sustained injuries in the clash.
