After Nehru College, MG varsity’s SME campus on the boil

Following the student unrest at the Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram and Nehru College, Thrissur, the focus it seems has now shifted to the Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Kottayam.
After Nehru College, MG varsity’s SME campus on the boil

KOTTAYAM: Following the student unrest at the Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram and Nehru College, Thrissur, the focus it seems has now shifted to the Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Kottayam.
The students there have been up in arms against the uncertainty regarding the recognition for the nursing and paramedical courses offered by the varsity’s School of Medical Education (SME).   

With the validity of the 15 courses run by the ll centres under the SME still under a cloud, coupled with the admissions for the coming academic year, giving the matter added urgency, the SFI and the KSU have started indefinite protest demanding urgent steps to resolve the issue.
Even as the protest by the SFI and the KSU respectively at the university and in front of the district collectorate is set to enter the fifth day on Sunday, the section of students,  who are politically neutral,are planning to stage protests before the varsity.
It was in the wake of the Kerala Public Service Commission directive to the students, who had successfully completed the nursing and paramedical course at the SME, to furnish the equivalency certificate from the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) while applying for related jobs in the government sector the validity issue came up.

However,the KUHS academic council and governing body rejected it on the grounds the MGU syllabus did not measure up to the health varsity standards. Besides,the admissions under the government quota will cease from the coming academic year following an official decision to this effect. The varsity,though,is yet to receive any official intimation in this regard.

When the protests intensified a high-level meeting was convened by the government in Thiruvananthapuram. It was attended by Education Minister C Raveendranath, Health Minister K K Shylaja, Higher Education Principal Secretary B Sreenivas, MG University vice chancellor Babu Sebastian, KUHS pro vice chancellor A Nalinakshan and other officers.
The meeting decided to issue a directive to the KUHS governing council for a favourable decision on granting the equivalency and eligibility certificates for the students of  the ongoing batches. It was agreed to set up a high-level committee to address the issue of  future admissions.

Possible way out

The MG University syndicate has taken the line the KUHS Act must be amended to allow the other universities to conduct medical courses at their own centres as per the Kerala Technological University Act-2015.
“We are not interested in running courses recognised by the KUHS. However, we are not against any outside agency coming forward to take over the SME,” said a MG University syndicate member.
Though,attempts had been made to hand over the SME to the State Institute of Medical Education and Technology(SIMET),the SIMET authorities were believed to have rejected the moves  in this regard. In the absence of any takers,the MGU will be forced to discontinue the courses from the coming academic year.
According to the student outfits, the government should urgently intervene in the matter to help bailout the SME.

“The MG University and the government should take urgent steps to protect the SME and ensure equivalency and eligibility for the courses. We will continue our protests till a favourable decision is taken in this regard,” said Rijesh K Babu, SFI district president.
KSU district president Jobin Jacob said they would not allow the SME to be closed down.

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