KTU campus will remain in Thiruvananthapuram: Higher Education Secretary

At present, KTU is temporarily functioning from the campus of College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, (CET).

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Principal Secretary (Higher Education) Usha Titus has quelled news reports regarding plans to shift the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) campus to Malappuram.“There is no plan to relocate the headquarters to any district. It will be in Thiruvananthapuram,” Titus said in a statement.

At present, KTU is temporarily functioning from the campus of College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, (CET). Earlier, some news reports had claimed the KTU headquarters would be shifted to Malappuram, the home district of Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel. However, Titus said the news reports were false and misleading.

She cited Section 3 (6) of the KTU Act which states the varsity’s headquarters should be located in Thiruvananthapuram. To get UGC funding for KTU and its affiliated colleges, the varsity should obtain 12 (B) status. And to do so, it needs a campus with at least five departments.“Board member Ibrahim Haji had made a request seeking a use for the land which was acquired at Malappuram for the proposed Aligarh University but was kept unused. Later, the secretary had written to the Malappuram District Collector and the registrar to know about the present status of the land,” said the statement from Titus.

“Survey proceedings for KTU are under way,” said the statement. 
In all, 210 institutions, including 153 engineering colleges, 23 MBA colleges, 25 MCA colleges and eight Architecture colleges in the state are affiliated to KTU. The previous government had identified 50 acres of land of the University of Kerala for setting up a permanent KTU campus. Though the Kerala University Syndicate ratify the proposal, the varsity did a U-turn, saying the land could not be allocated and suggested that an alternate location be considered.

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