20-point demand submitted to Kochi's self-financing colleges monitoring panel
KOCHI: The Kerala chapter of the All-India Save Education Committee on Monday submitted a memorandum before the three-member commission constituted to study the issues in self-financing colleges (SFCs).
The commission, headed by Justice K Dineshan, was formed in the wake of the recent incidents of conflicts between students and managements of self-financing colleges.The committee submitted the 20-point memorandum when it was summoned by the commission here.Calicut University former Vice-chancellor K K N Kurup and a former principal of Government Engineering College, Kannur, are the other members of the committee.
The committee in the memorandum demanded that admissions be conducted 100-per cent on the basis of merit, without violating reservation norms; gender equality; fee parity in government and self-financing colleges for merit seats; do not consider internal marks as a criterion for passing the course; do not consider attendance as an eligibility criterion for writing examination and permit students’ union in all colleges.
The demands also include prompt return of certificates and refund of caution deposit; government intervention to ensure safety of girl students; permission for girls to use mobile phone on campus; ensure freedom of students as stipulated in the Constitution; make uniform optional; restrain managements from interfering in academic matters, abolish fine and formation of students’ grievance redressal cells.
The committee also demanded that college managements should not be given the right to take action against students. “A university-level committee should carry out inspection at colleges to ensure a healthy and friendly atmosphere on the campus and steps should be initiated to protect the rights of employees, including teachers,” stated the memorandum. “The response of the commission was very positive. We expect positive changes in the self-financing education sector, once the commission submits its report,” said Save Education Committee-Kerala secretary M Shajar Khan.