Universities in Kerala uphold democracy, says Balagopal

‘State continues to follow the tradition of bringing top academics to the helm of universities’

Universities in Kerala are helmed by Vice Chancellors who might have divergent political views, but are academically proficient, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal has said. Without naming anyone, he added that various quarters had arrived at uninformed conclusions without understanding the democratic nature of universities in the State.

Inaugurating the human resources development centre at the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) here on Monday, Mr. Balagopal said the State continued to follow its tradition of bringing top academics to the helm of universities. Besides, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) had provided priority to empower Syndicates and Academic Councils while in power.

The Minister cited a violent episode in which students were killed at the Banaras Hindu University in Uttar Pradesh years ago in support of his claim that the universities in Kerala stood apart from the rest.

“Five students were shot dead by the security guards of the Vice Chancellor then. The Vice Chancellors in many such universities continue to receive protection by armed security personnel. People who are accustomed to such scenes may harbour wrong notions among universities in Kerala,” he said.

He added the universities in Kerala have preserved the sanctity of campuses that are run with the collective responsibility of the Vice Chancellors and statutory bodies including the Syndicates and the Academic Councils. Besides, the Syndicates and Senates in universities here have set apart positions for people’s representatives and students to uphold the democratic spirit. “Some believe this is not the manner universities must be run,” Mr. Balagopal added.

The Minister also said the government aimed at modernising the higher education sector in a way that it could incorporate advancements in the industrial and research sectors. He also urged universities to take up applied research, along with academic research, and to establish start-ups.

While 50 acres had been acquired for the KTU permanent campus, another 50 acres would be acquired to facilitate industrial and practical research projects, Mr. Balagopal said, while expressing optimism the university would develop into a hub for collaborative research in engineering, health and industry.